Placental insufficiency

Alternative names:

placental dysfunction

Definition:

An abnormal condition of pregnancy, in which the growth of the fetus and uterus is slowed.

Abnormalities that cause placental insufficiency include defects of the placental membranes, abnormalities of the umbilical cord, abnormal implantation of the placenta in the uterus, and multiple pregnancies. The placental membrane can, in some cases, break or leak, allowing fetal blood to mix with maternal blood. This can be associated with problems such as Rh incompatibility.