From the Research
Placental lakes identified on ultrasound are generally considered normal variations in placental structure and typically do not require specific management or intervention, as supported by the most recent study 1. These sonolucent areas represent pools of maternal blood within the placenta and are found in approximately 20-30% of normal pregnancies. No special monitoring or treatment is needed for isolated placental lakes in the absence of other concerning findings. During routine prenatal care, healthcare providers will continue standard ultrasound assessments to monitor overall placental function and fetal growth. The clinical significance of placental lakes becomes relevant only when they are extremely large, numerous, or associated with other placental abnormalities such as placenta previa or placental insufficiency, as noted in a study from 2. In these cases, more frequent ultrasound monitoring may be recommended to assess fetal growth and placental function. Some key points to consider include:
- Placental lakes form as a normal part of placental development when maternal blood pools in the intervillous spaces, creating these fluid-filled areas that appear as dark, well-defined regions on ultrasound.
- Their presence alone does not indicate placental dysfunction or predict adverse pregnancy outcomes, which is why they are generally considered an incidental finding rather than a pathological condition requiring intervention, as discussed in 3 and 4.
- However, large placental lakes have been correlated with fetal small-for-gestational-age status, suggesting the need for closer surveillance in such cases, as found in 2.
- The diagnosis and treatment of placental lakes require close collaboration between sonographers, obstetricians, geneticists, and pathologists, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, as highlighted in 1.