This study shows the effect of age of women on placental barrier thickness, fetal and placental weight. The work was done on total 25 human full term placentas of multiparous healthy pregnant women obtained from department of Obstetrics and Gynecology unit in Al-Zahra hospital in Najaf. The women in this work were classified into two groups; the control group consisted of 10 placentas from pregnant women between age of 20-34 years and experimental group consisted of 15 placentas from pregnant women of 35 years old and more. Stereological and histological studies were done to determine the effect of advanced maternal age on placental barrier and fetal and placental weight. The results showed: 1. Increase in the mean of placental barrier thickness of the placenta of mother ˃ 35 years than that of placenta of control group (20-34 years). 2. Increase in the mean placental weight of mother ˃ years in comparison to that of the control. 3. Decrease in mean birth weight of mothers ˃ 35 years in comparison of that of the control. 4. Extensive morphological changes in the structural component of terminal villi (capillaries, stoma and trophoblast). The results showed that there is an increase in the placental barrier of placenta, decrease in vascularization of the terminal villi and increase in the stroma and fibrin deposition in the placenta of mothers more than 35 years of age regarding to normal group.

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