Effects of Materno-fetal Rhesus Incompatibility on the Histology of Placenta

Abstract

This study is concerned with the effects of materno-fetal rhesus incompatibility on the histology of full term placenta. For this purpose, two groups of pregnant women were taken, the first group was 10 Rh negative and their husband were Rh positive with previous use of normal vaginal delivery of Rh positive normal babies. Indirect Coomb’s test was done for those women and it was negative indicating previous history Rhesus immunoglobulin containing anti–D antibody within 72 hours after delivery, this means that those women are not sensitised. The second group includes other 10 Rh negative pregnant women, their husbands were Rh positive and they had previous history of intrauterine death or stillbirth, their Indirect Coomb’s test was positive indicating that those women are sensitized and they form immunological reaction against blood cells of their babies. Full term placenta were taken from the two groups and were examined, the results showed significant changes in the structure of the placenta of the second when compared with the first group. In general the placenta of the second group were pallor and heavier than the first group. Histologically, extensive syncytial necrosis, cytotrophoblastic hyperplasia, thickening of the trophoblastic basement membrane with villous edema was found. In the decidua there was decidual necrosis with calcification, fibrinoid deposition and hemorrhage in the intervillous spaces. These results showed that there is an immunologically mediated reaction directed against the placental tissues