Placental pathology of neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy soon after birth: A retrospective analytical…

Cohort studySouth African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde· Jul 2026

Placental pathology of neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy soon after birth: A retrospective analytical study.

K L Sebolai, O Mekgoe, C A Wright … S C Velaphi

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Pediatric PathologyCohort studyQ3IF 0.9

Maternal vascular malperfusion linked to neonatal encephalopathy with intrapartum hypoxia

Placental pathology of neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy soon after birth: A retrospective analytical study.

K L Sebolai … S C Velaphi

South African medical journal · Jul 2026 · Q3 in General Medicine

Background

Placental pathology has been linked to neonatal encephalopathy (neonatal encephalopathy).

Purpose

To describe and analyse the histopathology of placentas from neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy shortly after birth.

Methods

A retrospective analytical study was conducted on neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy at Klerksdorp/Tshepong hospital complex, South Africa.

n = 271 neonates

Results

maternal vascular malperfusion more than tripled the odds of hypoxic encephalopathy

OR 3.24 (95% CI 1.19 to 8.79)

null 1

1.19

8.79

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Of 16 336 live births, 271 neonates were diagnosed with neonatal encephalopathy, and of these, 193 (71.2%) had neonatal encephalopathy with intrapartum hypoxia.

Placental histopathology results were available for 239 neonates (88.2%).

The median placental weight was 428 g, with 46.6% of placentas weighing below the 10th percentile.

More results

Cord abnormalities were observed in 27.2% of placentas.

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

A high proportion of neonates with encephalopathy showed evidence of intrapartum hypoxia. Approximately half of the placentas were below the 10th percentile in weight, and about a quarter had macroscopic cord abnormalities.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Almost all neonates with encephalopathy displayed ≥1 microscopic placental lesion. A strong association was found between the presence of maternal vascular malperfusion and neonatal encephalopathy with intrapartum hypoxia.

Placental pathology of neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy soon after birth: A retrospective analytical study.

Placental pathology of neonates diagnosed with encephalopathy soon after birth: A retrospective analytical study.

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