Advances in Human Placental Biomechanics

Abstract

Pregnancy complications are a major clinical concern due to the related maternal and fetal morbidity. Many are caused through defective placentation, but research into placental function is difficult, principally because of the ethical limitations associated with the in-vivo organ and the difficulty of extrapolating animal models. Perfused by two separate circulations, the maternal and fetal bloodstreams, the placenta has a unique structure and performs multiple complex functions. Three-dimensional imaging and computational modelling are becoming popular tools to investigate the morphology and physiology of this organ. These techniques bear the potential for better understanding the aetiology and development of placental pathologies, however, their full potential is yet to be exploited. This review aims to summarize the recent insights into placental structure and function by employing these novel techniques. Keywords: Placenta, Biomechanics, Blood flow, Nutrient transport, 3D imaging, Computational modelling