Relaxin and Placental Volume in Placenta Accreta Spectrum

The primary source of relaxin in pregnancy is the corpus luteum, but it is also produced in other tissues, such as the decidua and placenta. Importantly, relaxin's pleiotropic effects include endothelial-dependent vasodilation, extracellular matrix remodeling, and potential contributions to placental development. These properties make relaxin a molecule of interest in the context of PAS disorders, where abnormal placental invasion may reflect disruptions in vascular and extracellular matrix regulation. Additionally, recent findings have indicated altCirculating relaxin levels were assessed before routinely storing maternal venous blood and umbilical cord arterial blood samples are anelyzed. This study aimed to compare relaxin levels in umbilical cord and peripheral blood and estimated placental volumes (EPV) between PAS cases and controls. Additionally, subgroup analysis was conducted to evaluate relaxin levels and EPV among PAS subtypes (accreta, increta, and percreta).