Читать книгу Genetic Disorders and the Fetus - Группа авторов - Страница 163

The placenta can be an important hallmark of fetal wellbeing in pregnancy. However, the placenta shows a remarkable degree of normal variability in size, shape, and gene expression. In particular, there may be areas of the placenta showing pathological features, while other areas appear normal. This makes evaluation of the placenta challenging, as the presence of abnormalities may not necessarily affect outcome if there is sufficient healthy placental tissue. A limitation to the use of placental evaluation is also simply a lack of attention paid to the placenta in research and clinical settings, which has impeded progress in utilizing this important resource. As appreciation for the placenta as an important component of fetal development grows, we are optimistic that we will learn to better extract the wealth of information it contains about the genetic makeup and environmental forces that have played a role in the development of the baby.