Placental findings among newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Objectiveto determine if pre-specified placental abnormalities among newborns with hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (hie) differ compared to newborns admitted to a nicu without encephalopathy.study designretrospective case–control study of newborns with hie (2006–2014) and controls matched for birth year, gestational age, weight, and gender. one pathologist reviewed archived placental sections using pre-specified criteria.resultssixty-seven newborns had hie, 46 had available placentas and were matched with 92 controls. hie had more maternal vascular malperfusion (46% vs 25%, p = 0.02), fetal vascular malperfusion (13% vs 0%, p < 0.001), and clinical abruption (22% vs 4%, p = 0.001). controls had more normal placentas (29% vs 7%, p = 0.002), and chorioamnionitis (30% vs 9%, p = 0.005). pre-specified placental lesions occurred in 87% of hie and 65% of controls (p = 0.008) and identified >90% of primary diagnoses.conclusionspre-specified placental lesions identified nearly all abnormalities in hie and represented both acute and chronic processes.