Placental Abnormalities and Preeclampsia in Trisomy 13 Pregnancies

Abstract

Women who are carrying a trisomy 13 fetus are prone to have an abnormal placenta as well as to develop preeclampsia in the second and third trimesters. This article provides a comprehensive review of placental abnormalities, such as small placental volume, reduced placental vascularization, a partial molar appearance of the placenta and placental mesenchymal dysplasia, and preeclampsia associated with trisomy 13 pregnancies. The candidate preeclampsia-causing genes on chromosome 13, such as sFlt1, COL4A2 and periostin, are discussed.

Keywords

• COL4A2
• periostin
• placental abnormalities
• preeclampsia
• pregnancy
• sFlt1
• trisomy 13