Placental Pathology and the Etiology of Fetal and Neonatal Brain Injury

Placental pathologic examination plays a crucial role in identifying mechanisms contributing to adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes, particularly concerning brain injury. While correlations between placental pathology and intrauterine stressors are established in literature, the challenge lies in the interpretation of these findings within the clinical context of individual cases. This difficulty arises from limited prospective studies linking specific clinical abnormalities to placental pathology and the scarcity of relevant animal models, resulting in largely retrospective, population-based associations. Therefore, interpretation of abnormal placental findings and their potential contribution to neurologic outcomes often requires nuanced consideration. The authors’ consensus presented here underscores the evolving framework of experimental data that inform clinicopathologic interpretations, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement in the diagnostic accuracy and insights derived from placental examinations over time. Interpretation of placental pathology remains a complex endeavor that can significantly influence clinical management and understanding of neurologic injuries.