Placental mesenchymal dysplasia with severe fetal growth restriction in one placenta of a dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy

Abstract

We report a rare case of placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) with fetal growth restriction (FGR) in one placenta of a dichorionic diamniotic (DD) twin pregnancy. A 24-year-old woman was referred to our hospital at 24 weeks' gestation due to FGR and ipsilateral placental abnormality in DD twins. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging showed one placenta of the FGR fetus was bulky and had multiple cysts, while the other fetus placenta appeared normal. Cesarean section was performed at 32 weeks' gestation; the first and second neonates weighted 1799 and 1215 g, respectively. Macroscopically, chorionic vessels on the placental surface of the second neonate were prominently enlarged. Pathological findings demonstrated swelling stem villi with enlarged vessels and increased interstitial cells without trophoblast proliferation. Immunostaining for p57^kip2 was negative in interstitial cells and cytotrophoblasts of the swelling stem villi. This suggested that PMD occurred in one placenta of the DD twin, leading to early-onset FGR.