Abstract

Introduction: Placental teratoma is an uncommon, non-trophoblastic benign tumor. Since the first description of this type of tumor by Morvilli in 1925, only a few cases of this abnormality have been diagnosed and reported.

Case presentation: We describe here a 35-year-old pregnant woman admitted for an elective cesarean section. The placenta and membranes were delivered spontaneously. After delivering the placenta, a tumor mass containing hair was detected between the extraplacental amnion and chorion. On gross examination, a singleton placenta weighing 173 g, measuring 15 × 11 cm in area and 5.5 cm thick, with an attached cord and membranes, was observed. Microscopic examination showed orthokeratinized stratified squamous epithelium with underlying hair follicles, telangiectatic vessels, and sebaceous glands accompanied by subcutaneous fat. The fat also contained fibrocollagenous bundles. In addition, interconnecting bone trabecula rimmed by osteoblasts and attached mature cartilage were also found.

Conclusion: An awareness of placental teratoma from a pathological perspective is needed to include this anomaly in the differential diagnosis of benign placental nodules, obtain more information about this unusual lesion, and to conduct more studies on this prenatal abnormality.