Effect of cigarette smoke on human placenta morphometry

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the placental alterations in smoking mothers. Method: A case‐control stereologic study of 10 placentas from smokers and 10 from non‐smokers. Result: The authors found a significant increase in stromal volume density, villus size and trophoblast thickness, and a significant decrease in villus and vessel surface densities, total surfaces, and number/mm 2 histological field in the smokers' placenta. Conclusions: The alterations found in the smokers' placenta greatly contribute to impairing the exchanges between maternal and fetal blood.