Placental villitis and intrauterine growth retardation in a Swedish population

Abstract
Villitis was studied in placentas from 445 singleton infants from an ethnically homogeneous population with a good socioeconomic standard. There were 161 infants small for gestational age (SGA) and 284 appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Villitis was found in 12 SGA-placentas (7.5 per cent) and 8 AGA placentas (2.8 per cent) (p < 0.05). The degree of villitis was also related to growth retardation (p < 0.05). Except for one placenta with villitis due to CMV infection, the cause of villitis could not be determined. No association was found with various studied factors such as hypertension, pre-eclampsia, smoking or maternal pyrexia during pregnancy.