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Table of Contents
Medical Problems
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Medical professionals often use the terms “placental insufficiency” and “placental dysfunction” interchangeably. Another term for it is “uteroplacental vascular insufficiency.” It affects roughly 8% of all pregnancies.
The following article discusses placental insufficiency in more detail, including the medical problems it can lead to, its underlying causes, diagnosis, treatment, and related issues.
Joe Raedle/ Staff / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The Anatomy of the Placenta
Medical Problems From Placental Insufficiency
Placental insufficiency can cause babies to be smaller than expected for the number of weeks of pregnancy (sometimes called “small for gestational age,” or SGA). This often happens because of something called “fetal growth restriction” (FGR), sometimes also called “intrauterine growth restriction,” or IUGR.
Because it isn’t getting all the oxygen and nutrients that it needs, the developing fetus doesn’t grow as much as normal. Placental insufficiency isn’t the only potential cause of FGR, but it’s a major one.
Fetuses with FGR generally have a weight that is lower than 90% of other fetuses of that same age.
Why FGR Happens
A smaller fetus requires fewer nutrients and oxygen to survive. The fetus sends extra blood to areas that need it most—like the brain and heart—while decreasing weight gain in other areas.All of this gives the fetus a better chance of survival.
Risk of Stillbirth
Fetuses who are small for their age have an increased risk of beingstillborncompared to babies who are average in size.Placental insufficiency causing FGR is one of the biggest risk factors for stillbirth.
Additional Medical Problems in the Infant
Infants born to a mother with placental insufficiency are also more likely to have certain medical problems after birth. Some of these are:
Mother’s Lack of Symptoms
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a medical condition that causes symptoms like very high blood pressure, headaches, and swelling in the mother. Scientists are still learning about the relationship between preeclampsia and placental insufficiency, but preeclampsia may be more common in people with placental insufficiency.
In preeclampsia, researchers also have found reduced blood flow to the placenta. It may be that placental insufficiency is one of the causes of preeclampsia in some people.
Both FGR and preeclampsia are risk factors forpreterm labor. Babies born significantly before their expected due date are more likely to have health problems, like difficulty breathing. They are more likely to need to spend an extended time in the hospital, perhaps in a neonatal intensive care unit.
What Causes Placental Insufficiency?
Sometimes this happens because the mother just isn’t getting enough food to eat. Other times it has to do with problems with the placenta itself. Some examples that can cause this are:
But sometimes a problem with the mother’s health might cause placental insufficiency. For example, this might happen in a woman who had long-term high blood pressure, or in someone who had high blood pressure due to their pregnancy.
Other diseases in the mother associated with placental insufficiency are:
Smoking, excess drinking, and drug use might also increase your risk. However, the exact problem causing placental insufficiency is often not known.
Diagnosis of Placental Insufficiency
Low Fetal Weight
If the fetus is a lower weight than expected (compared to others at that point in the pregnancy), placental insufficiency may be an issue. However, some infants are smaller than they should be (that is, they have FGR), because of different medical problems like an infection or a serious genetic birth defect.
False Alarms With Low Estimated Weight
However, some infants might not be gaining weight normally (perhaps due to placental insufficiency), but their weight might be just a little too high to meet the standard criteria for low estimated weight.They might have been getting enough nutrients early in the pregnancy, but not near the end of it. These fetuses may also be at higher risk of medical problems, like stillbirth.
Artery Analysis
Doppler ultrasound, a test that uses sound waves to look at how blood flows through certain vessels, can also give some clues about FGR and possible placental insufficiency. This test can be done at the same time as a regular pregnancy ultrasound. Doppler ultrasound can detect:
Through analyzing the relationship between these arteries, your healthcare provider may get some clues about whether placental insufficiency might be a problem.
Treatment of Placental Insufficiency
Unfortunately, placental insufficiency can’t be cured or treated directly. But there is a lot that can be done to manage the problem and increase the chance of a healthy pregnancy.
Key monitoring tests might include:
The Pregnant Parent’s Health
It’s also important that the mother is monitored to stay as healthy as possible. If you have a medical condition that might be contributing to placental insufficiency (likehigh blood pressure), you’ll get treatment for that.
Planning for Delivery
If you have placental insufficiency, you may find it helpful to work with a specialist trained inhigh-risk pregnancies. If the problem is severe, you might need monitoring in the hospital.
Summary
Placental insufficiency may increase the risk of other problems, like stillbirth, preterm birth, preeclampsia, and other infant medical issues.
A Word From Verywell
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7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brown LD, Hay WW Jr.Impact of placental insufficiency on fetal skeletal muscle growth.Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2016;435:69-77. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2016.03.017Zhang C, Ding J, Li H, Wang T.Identification of key genes in pathogenesis of placental insufficiency intrauterine growth restriction.BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22(1):77. doi:10.1186/s12884-022-04399-3Bardien N, Whitehead CL, Tong S, Ugoni A, McDonald S, Walker SP.Placental insufficiency in fetuses that slow in growth but are born appropriate for gestational age: A prospective longitudinal study.PLoS One. 2016;11(1):e0142788. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142788Krishna U, Bhalerao S.Placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction.J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2011 Oct;61(5):505-11. doi:10.1007/s13224-011-0092-xRoberts JM, Escudero C.The placenta in preeclampsia.Pregnancy Hypertens. 2012;2(2):72-83. doi:10.1016/j.preghy.2012.01.001Nemours Kids Health.Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).Kennedy LM, Tong S, Robinson AJ, et al.Reduced growth velocity from the mid-trimester is associated with placental insufficiency in fetuses born at a normal birthweight.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):395. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01869-3
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brown LD, Hay WW Jr.Impact of placental insufficiency on fetal skeletal muscle growth.Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2016;435:69-77. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2016.03.017Zhang C, Ding J, Li H, Wang T.Identification of key genes in pathogenesis of placental insufficiency intrauterine growth restriction.BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22(1):77. doi:10.1186/s12884-022-04399-3Bardien N, Whitehead CL, Tong S, Ugoni A, McDonald S, Walker SP.Placental insufficiency in fetuses that slow in growth but are born appropriate for gestational age: A prospective longitudinal study.PLoS One. 2016;11(1):e0142788. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142788Krishna U, Bhalerao S.Placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction.J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2011 Oct;61(5):505-11. doi:10.1007/s13224-011-0092-xRoberts JM, Escudero C.The placenta in preeclampsia.Pregnancy Hypertens. 2012;2(2):72-83. doi:10.1016/j.preghy.2012.01.001Nemours Kids Health.Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).Kennedy LM, Tong S, Robinson AJ, et al.Reduced growth velocity from the mid-trimester is associated with placental insufficiency in fetuses born at a normal birthweight.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):395. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01869-3
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Brown LD, Hay WW Jr.Impact of placental insufficiency on fetal skeletal muscle growth.Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2016;435:69-77. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2016.03.017Zhang C, Ding J, Li H, Wang T.Identification of key genes in pathogenesis of placental insufficiency intrauterine growth restriction.BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22(1):77. doi:10.1186/s12884-022-04399-3Bardien N, Whitehead CL, Tong S, Ugoni A, McDonald S, Walker SP.Placental insufficiency in fetuses that slow in growth but are born appropriate for gestational age: A prospective longitudinal study.PLoS One. 2016;11(1):e0142788. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142788Krishna U, Bhalerao S.Placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction.J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2011 Oct;61(5):505-11. doi:10.1007/s13224-011-0092-xRoberts JM, Escudero C.The placenta in preeclampsia.Pregnancy Hypertens. 2012;2(2):72-83. doi:10.1016/j.preghy.2012.01.001Nemours Kids Health.Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).Kennedy LM, Tong S, Robinson AJ, et al.Reduced growth velocity from the mid-trimester is associated with placental insufficiency in fetuses born at a normal birthweight.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):395. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01869-3
Brown LD, Hay WW Jr.Impact of placental insufficiency on fetal skeletal muscle growth.Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2016;435:69-77. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2016.03.017
Zhang C, Ding J, Li H, Wang T.Identification of key genes in pathogenesis of placental insufficiency intrauterine growth restriction.BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022;22(1):77. doi:10.1186/s12884-022-04399-3
Bardien N, Whitehead CL, Tong S, Ugoni A, McDonald S, Walker SP.Placental insufficiency in fetuses that slow in growth but are born appropriate for gestational age: A prospective longitudinal study.PLoS One. 2016;11(1):e0142788. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0142788
Krishna U, Bhalerao S.Placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction.J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2011 Oct;61(5):505-11. doi:10.1007/s13224-011-0092-x
Roberts JM, Escudero C.The placenta in preeclampsia.Pregnancy Hypertens. 2012;2(2):72-83. doi:10.1016/j.preghy.2012.01.001
Nemours Kids Health.Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
Kennedy LM, Tong S, Robinson AJ, et al.Reduced growth velocity from the mid-trimester is associated with placental insufficiency in fetuses born at a normal birthweight.BMC Med. 2020;18(1):395. doi:10.1186/s12916-020-01869-3
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