What: A group of pathologists have issued a plea to save placentas after delivery, in an effort to better understand any adverse outcomes in pregnancy – especially those beyond stillbirth, when placentas are most commonly studied. They want to understand what health effects they may reveal for the mother *going forward*. In other words, it’s not just about the pregnancy, but the health of the patient.

Why it matters: “’Placentas should not be considered a waste tissue,’ says senior author Mana Parast, MD, PhD, professor of pathology at University of California San Diego School of Medicine. ‘They can teach us a lot about not just what went wrong in a pregnancy, but also inform about subsequent pregnancies for the health of the pregnant person and baby.’”

Source: Cell Press