The placenta in the litigation process.

The placenta accurately reflects many important prenatal events. It is therefore important that it be examined. This is especially useful in cases of possible future litigation, the "bad-baby cases." There is much experience now that pathologic findings in the placenta often have a decisive role in the accurate disposition of legal cases. This presentation describes the examination of the placenta and provides a brief review of the nature of placental lesions that most often impact cases of alleged malpractice.