Placental pathology in COVID-19

Abstract

Relative to controls, COVID-19 placentas show increased prevalence of features of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), a pattern of placental injury reflecting abnormalities in oxygenation within the intervillous space associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Only 1 COVID-19 patient was hypertensive despite the association of MVM with hypertensive disorders and preeclampsia. These changes may reflect a systemic inflammatory or hypercoagulable state influencing placental physiology.