Preliminary Report: Immunoperoxidase-Linked Human Placental Lactogen as a Histopathologic Index of Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality

Anatomic study of placental dysfunction may benefit from the applications of new routine techniques. Immunohistochemical staining for human placental lactogen (HPL) was used in 3 cases illustrating different perinatal disorders. The amount of HPL labeling ranged from high in an acute anoxic death due to abruptio placentae, through decreased in a case of maternal hypertension, to low in severe intrauterine growth retardation. Such information complements standard clinical and pathologic studies. Ten percent buffered Formalin was superior to Bouin's fixative and alcoholic Formalin for the demonstration of HPL. Even after 4 days of refrigeration at 4°C, all of the syncytiotrophoblastic tissue was labeled in sections of paraffin-embedded, Formalin-fixed normal placentas.