Placenta
Abnormal placentation
Blighted ovum / anembryonic gestation
Author: Mandolin S. Ziadie, M.D.
Last author update: 1 October 2011
Last staff update: 17 November 2023
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Blighted ovum placenta
Cite this page: Ziadie MS. Blighted ovum / anembryonic gestation. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/placentablightedovum.html. Accessed April 26th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Failure of development or early embryonic demise with persistent trophoblast development, leading to an anembryonic gestation
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Villous stromal edema without central cistern formation or trophoblastic hyperplasia
- Features of karyotypic abnormalities may be present
- 52% are trisomic (smaller villi without cisterns), 20% are triploid (resemble partial moles with focal trophoblastic invaginations, cisterns, irregular surfaces and dysmorphic features) and 15% are XO and 6% are tetraploid
- Before week 8, aneuploidy is most common with embryonic growth disorganization
