[Stereoultrastructure of placenta and fetal membranes in normal pregnancy in women living in the Mid-North-East of Russia].

The surface of placenta was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Intercellular edema, desquamation of some amniotic cells, increased number of terminal chorionic villi and syncytial nodes, areas deprived of microvilli were found in the placenta at physiological 40-week pregnancy and delivery. These changes are of an adaptive nature.