Popularization of knowledge about placental chorioangioma

We all know that tumors are generally divided into benign and malignant tumors. I wonder if all the pregnant mothers have heard of placental chorioangioma? This is a disease that only women during pregnancy will suffer from. Next, the editor will popularize some relevant knowledge about placental chorioangioma, including an overview, pathological characteristics and clinical significance. I hope you can take a look and increase your knowledge.

1. Overview:

Placental chorioangioma is a relatively rare primary non-trophoblastic tumor of the placenta. It generally has no serious adverse effects on both the mother and the fetus, but its clinical outcome depends more on the size of the tumor rather than the composition of the tumor. The incidence of chorioangioma is higher in multiple pregnancies than in singleton pregnancies, and its incidence is increased in people living in plateau areas. In addition, chorioangioma can be associated with an increase in fetal nucleated red blood cells, suggesting that hypoxic stimulation leads to excessive villous capillary proliferation. Although this remains a speculation, angiogenesis can be regulated by vascular growth factors.

2. Pathological characteristics:

Most chorioangiomas are small in size, located within the placental substance, and are often not visible on the surface of the placenta. The tumor in the placenta is generally round, with clear boundaries, and a capsule that clearly demarcates it from the surrounding villous tissue. The cross-section is smooth and the texture is hard. It can be yellow, brown, light brown, red and white. It is somewhat similar to intervillous thrombosis, but chorioangioma has no layered structure, which can be used to distinguish it. Large chorioangiomas can often exceed 5 cm in diameter.

3. Clinical significance:

Small chorioangiomas are of no clinical importance, but those larger than 5 cm may have a variety of complications that may affect the mother, fetus, or neonate.

1) Complications during pregnancy: Severe chorioangioma may be accompanied by polyhydramnios (16%~33%), and the degree of polyhydramnios is related to the size of the chorioangioma. Polyhydramnios is not related to fetal abnormalities. The cause of polyhydramnios is unclear, but it is not related to umbilical vein compression or facial vein effusion in fetuses with chorioangioma. Occasionally, chorioangioma on the maternal side of the placenta can cause retroplacental hemorrhage or rupture of the pedicles of pedunculated blood vessels, which can cause fetal bleeding to death in severe cases.

2.) Complications during delivery: Large chorioangiomas may separate from the fetus during delivery, or be discharged from the vagina first, or be retained in the uterus and cause incomplete involution and postpartum hemorrhage. However, this situation rarely occurs because large chorioangiomas can be diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound, and cesarean section is often used to end the delivery.

3) Impact on the fetus and newborn: When chorioangioma is large or numerous, the fetal mortality rate increases.

Small chorioangioma does not have much impact on the mother and newborn, but the physical condition of the pregnant woman is the most important. The editor would like to remind all pregnant mothers to have regular physical examinations, pay more attention to diet and rest. At the same time, I also hope that every pregnant mother is in good health and can have a healthy baby.