Image-based modelling of placental blood flow with a focus on fetal growth restriction

​The placenta is the interface between mother and fetus and undergoes vascular changes and differentiation to maintain effective blood flow circulation to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Gas and nutrient exchange occur within the placental capillaries. Impaired placental blood flow can result in fetal growth restriction (FGR), where the baby does not meet its growth potential, and this can have short and long-lasting clinical impacts. In this project, an image-based model of the capillary networks of the placenta will be built to simulate blood flow and study the restrictions that may occur due to the limited development of the placenta. Considering fluid shear stress (FSS) is essential to placental development and function, we will use the proposed model to compare FSS between healthy placentas and those from FGR pregnancies. Also, the findings from this project will be correlated with the measures of blood flow examined by ultrasound and clinical pregnancy outcome data.