Maternal Body Mass Index on placental morphology and foetal birth weight

Abstract

Placenta is a functional unit between the mother and the foetus. Only eutherian mammals
possess placenta. Human placenta is discoid, deciduate, haemochorial, chorioallantoic,
labyrinthine and endocrine gland which connects developing embryo by umbilical cord to the
endometrium of mother’s uterus. It develops from two sources. The fetal component which is
the principal component develops from chorion frondosum and the maternal component from
decidua basalis. The fetal surface is smooth, covered by amnion and presents the attachment
of the umbilical cord close to its centre. The maternal surface is rough, irregular and spongy
and is mapped out into 15-20 convex polygonal areas known as lobes or cotyledons which
are limited by fissures