The fetal origins hypothesis suggests that interuterine life plays a more significant role in life-long
adult health than previously thought. The human placenta is the crucial organ that supplies the
developing fetus with oxygen and nutrients, and its function is closely related to the health of
the baby. A more quantitative understanding of the placenta is sought, to provide more accurate
statistics and predictions regarding fetal health.
This research aims to quantify placental function and growth at two scales — gross placental morphology and oxygen transport at the microscopic level. Placental shape is quantified via
Fourier series and moments, and probability distribution functions (similar to histograms) are calculated for measured characteristics. Analysis of distribution functions provides some information
regarding the likely development of the placenta. Most distribution functions found are not normal
(Gaussian), and posses power-law tails, indicative of more complex random growth phenomena.
Oxygen transport is one of the fundamental functions of the placenta, and this research aims
to quantify how efficiently various exchange geometries function. Segmented histology slides of
terminal villi (the site of oxygen exchange) are used in numerical simulations of stationary diffusion
within realistic geometries for the first time. Capillary numbers, positions and calibres are measured
and combined in a number of ways to measure transport efficiency. Efficiency is then correlated
with measures such as birth weight, and fractal vascular efficiency (which relates the mass of
fetus created per mass of placenta). Significant correlations are found between efficient capillary
arrangements and ‘healthy’ whole placental vasculature.