Does a Picture of the Human Placenta Predict the Future?

In the 2010 editorial from the journal Placenta, two groups presented differing views on the normal shape of the human placenta and its implications for future health risks. Salafia and colleagues argued that a round placental shape at term is associated with higher efficiency and fewer vascular pathologies, while Lees and colleagues found that normal placentas are elliptical with non-central cord insertions. Both groups used mathematical formulas to quantify placental structure, leading to their differing conclusions. The editorial highlighted the importance of placental size and shape, as suggested by the Developmental Origins of Human Adult Disease (DOHAD) and Cardiovascular Health and Maternal Placental Syndromes (CHAMPS) data, in predicting future risks for both mother and child for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The editorial suggested that simple measurements of the placenta could provide valuable predictive information for adult disorders, emphasizing the significance of the placenta as a potential window into future health risks.