Abstract
Objectives
Increased placental stiffness is associated with various pathological conditions. Our objective was to evaluate the relation between the second-trimester placental elasticity value in low-risk pregnant women and poor obstetric outcomes.
Methods
A total of 143 pregnant women were enrolled. Placental elasticity values were measured using the transabdominal point shear wave elastography method. 10 random measurements were obtained from different areas of the placenta. The mean was accepted as the mean placental elasticity value. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent variables associated with obstetric outcomes.
Results
Second-trimester placental elasticity value was significantly and positively associated with the poor obstetric outcomes (p=0.038). We could predict a poor outcome with 69.2% sensitivity and 60.7% specificity if we defined the placental elasticity cut-off as 3.19 kPa. Furthermore, in the multiple regression model, the placental elasticity value added significantly to the prediction of birth weight (p=0.043).
Conclusions
Our results showed that the pregnancies with a stiffer placenta in the second trimester were associated with an increased likelihood of exhibiting poor obstetric outcomes. Also, placental elasticity was independently associated with birth weight.
Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
Ethical approval: The Human Ethics Committee of Manisa Celal Bayar University approved the study (date: 27 June 2018, number 20.478.486/29600).
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