Aging of the placenta: what is it?
The placenta is an organ with its own life cycle. It develops with the child. The age of the placenta is determined by the Grannum scale [1], and there are four stages of development:
Up to 18 weeks;
From 18 to 29 weeks;
From 30 to 38 weeks;
After 39 weeks. During this period, calcium deposits form in the placenta - this is a normal process. We still don't know exactly why this happens, but researchers believe that this is a kind of calcium reserve for a grown fetus.
Too early calcification is called premature aging of the placenta. During this period, part of the placenta may begin to die off or be replaced by useless fibrous tissue. And this, in turn, may slightly increase the risk of preterm birth [2, 3].
How is the age of the placenta assessed?
Placental maturity is assessed by ultrasound, and it is very subjective — different doctors may give different opinions. There is no reason for concern if the blood flow is good and the placenta supports the baby.
However, if doctors diagnose III degree of aging of the placenta before 32 weeks, then it is necessary to monitor the development of the child using a Doppler every two weeks [3].
