Why should the placenta be inspected by a pathologist after a traumatic birth?
After a traumatic birth, the placenta should be inspected by a pathologist to check for any evidence of an abnormality to the placenta, such as an infection to the placenta, and whether there is any meconium discoloration of the placenta. The placental pathologist will inspect the placenta for signs of chronic deprivation, such as abnormalities caused by infection of the placenta. Meconium discoloration of the placenta can be a sign of fetal distress just before birth and a sign that the baby’s oxygen supply was compromised. Meconium is the green viscous fluid that consists of fetal gastrointestinal secretions and meconium passage occurs in up to 20% of full-term gestations. Meconium passage occurs as a result of three distinct mechanisms: (1) as a physiologic maturation event; (2) as a response to acute hypoxic events; and (3) as a response to chronic intrauterine hypoxia. Infants with acute hypoxia events, near and after the onset of labor, are more likely to pass thick meconium and
