Placental morphometric studies in diabetic pregnancies.

Placentae from 20 pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus were, by morphometric analyses, similar to 20 placentae from normal patients. Since the average gestation in this study was 1.5 weeks less in the PDM group, accelerated maturity rather than retarded villous development may be inferred. Based on maternal HbAIC determinations, neonatal morbidity and macrosomia, the morphometric similarities of PDM to control placentae in this series do not appear to be explained by normalization of maternal blood glucose levels in the diabetic group.