ABSTRACT
Normal development of the uteroplacental circulation The human uterine vasculature is made of a complex vessel network which anastomoses with branches of the ovarian and vaginal arteries to establish a vascular arcade perfusing the internal genital organs. 5 The tortuous ascending uterine artery gives off approximately 8 – 10 arcuate branches which extend inward for about one-third of the thickness of the myometrium and envelop the anterior
Figure 5.1 Diagram of a complete gestational sac at 8 weeks of gestation showing the presence of the trophoblastic shell and intravascular spiral artery plugs in the center of the placental bed, whereas in the periphery an intervillous circulation is established (arrows).
