Occurrence of ultrasonographic assessed placental abnormalities, treatments, pregnancy outcome, and subsequent fertility on a large warmblood stud farm: A retrospective field study.
Authors: Sielhorst J, Koether K, Volkmann N, Blanco M, Vicioso R, Baade S, Kemper N, de Mestre A M, Sieme H
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Placental abnormalities detected via ultrasound affect approximately 4 in 100 pregnancies on commercial warmblood studs, yet little clinical guidance exists on managing these high-risk cases or predicting outcomes. This retrospective analysis of 4,192 pregnancies (2017–2019) categorised ultrasonographic placental abnormalities into three severity scores, finding that embryo transfer recipients showed significantly worse placental pathology than mares carrying their own pregnancies, with severity increasing with mare age. Despite 9.6% abortion rates in affected pregnancies, early intervention proved remarkably effective: over 90% of diagnosed cases were successfully carried to term, and 61% of treated mares conceived in the following breeding season—though conception rates declined with increasing severity (68% for mild abnormalities versus 54% for moderate-to-severe cases). For practitioners managing high-risk pregnancies, these findings demonstrate that ultrasonographic monitoring protocols combined with prompt treatment can substantially salvage pregnancies and maintain reasonable subsequent fertility, though mares with more severe placental changes require closer management and should be counselled regarding lower conception prospects in the following season.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Routine ultrasonographic screening for placental abnormalities on breeding farms can identify high-risk pregnancies early; intervention saves >90% of these pregnancies from abortion
- •Embryo transfer recipients require closer monitoring and may develop more severe placental pathology than mares carrying their own pregnancies
- •Most treated mares with placental abnormalities return to fertility in the next breeding season (61.1%), making early intervention economically justified on stud farms
Key Findings
- •Ultrasonographic placental abnormalities occurred in 4.2% (177/4192) of pregnancies on a commercial warmblood stud farm over 2017-2019
- •Embryo transfer recipient mares had significantly increased placental abnormality severity compared to mares with their own pregnancy
- •Early detection and treatment prevented abortion in >90% of high-risk pregnancies, with 61.1% of affected mares becoming pregnant in the subsequent season
- •Pregnancy establishment rates after placental abnormalities were 68.1% for PSc1, 53.4% for PSc2, and 53.8% for PSc3 severity scores, with 75.7% achieved in the first insemination cycle