Confined placental mosaicism and intrauterine fetal growth

Fetal growth is a complex and dynamic process regulated by a large number of interactive factors of fetal, maternal, and placental origin. As a result, any abnormality of fetal growth has a complex multifactorial pathogenesis. It has been estimated that about 50% of intrauterine fetal growth is determined by fetal genes.1Maternal disease, her nutritional intake and behaviours, such as smoking, also influence fetal growth. The placenta develops to its full size during the second trimester, to facilitate the fetal growth acceleration after 20 weeks of gestation. An abnormal pattern of placental growth earlier in gestation may result in abnormal fetal growth in the late second or third trimesters.#### Key Messages A recently described genetic condition, confined placental mosaicism (CPM), has been shown to cause clinically significant intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or even intrauterine fetal death. CPM is the most common form of constitutional chromosomal …