[The role of mass morphological study of placenta for prognosis of infectious processes in newborns].

The results of the long-term morphological study of a great number of placentas in the cities of St. Petersburg and Novgorod have been summarized. These results show frequent occurrence of infection of various etiology. The efficiency of revealing the risk groups among newborns is documented by a considerable decrease of infant mortality in Novgorod (from 20.6 in 1986 to 11.9 in 1996). The same phenomenon is demonstrated in St. Petersburg where a decrease in the incidence of intrauterine infections was noted at the autopsy material. A detailed study of catamnesis of children infected in utero showed an increase of minor neurological symptoms and higher incidence of acute respiratory viral infections.