ABSTRACT
Introduction The placenta, it must always be remembered, is fetal in origin. Any aberration affecting the placenta has serious consequences for the developing fetus. The size and function of the placenta have a profound effect on normal fetal growth and development, as the organ responsible for the supply of oxygen to the fetus. Therefore, placental pathology is most relevant to fetal well-being, and has far-reaching effects on healthy cardiovascular function and development. This makes the understanding of normal and pathological placental implantation and function indispensable in a textbook dealing with fetal cardiology.
