Leukocytic Infiltration of the Placenta and Umbilical Cord A Clinico-Pathologic Study

Leukocytic infiltration of the placenta or membranes was found in 24.4% of 1000 placentas. The only clinical factor significantly related to placental leukocytic infiltration was prolonged rupture of the membranes. Other clinical factors such as premature onset of labor, artificial rupture of the membranes, prolonged pregnancy, preeclamptic toxemia and prolonged labor showed an apparent relationship to placental leukocytic infiltration due to the high proportion of cases in which membrane rupture had been prolonged. Placentas from hypoxic fetuses were more commonly infiltrated with leukocytes than were placentas from fetuses who were not hypoxic. This finding was related to the high incidence of fetal hypoxia among gravidas in whom membrane rupture was prolonged. Analysis failed to reveal a significant association between the placental lesion and fetal hypoxia. Findings were similar in 6.6% of the cases with leukocytic infiltration of the umbilical cord.