immature intermediate villi at term

On all three parenchymal samples, this placenta from an uncomplicated term pregnancy had numerous villi with clear channels. This type of villus with channels has been designated immature intermediate villus by Kaufmann, and should be very infrequent by term. (This villous terminology can be found in Pathology of the Human Placenta by Benirschke, Kaufmann, and Baergen.) The infant was just above the 10 th percentile for birth weight and the placenta was small at 330 g., an 8.2 fetus to placenta ratio, which is abnormal. This villous appearance could be mistaken for hydrops, but I think the low placental weight and numerous channels at term distinguish it. Immature intermediate villi are precursors to the development of stem villi, and their persistence may be a marker for a lack of growth of the placental villous tree. However, there is no real data. As usual, all I could do was write a comment: “There are numerous immature intermediate villi present at term. The significance of this observation is unknown”.