Products of Conception

Auto text: “Insert POC” or “Insert POC mole”

Triage & Gross

  1. Submerge specimen in formalin upon receipt.
  2. All POCs are considered urgent specimens and need to be processed the same day of receipt.
  3. All specimens should be emptied out of the specimen jar and carefully inspected for fetal parts and vesicles.
  4. If fetal parts are recognized, inspect them for gross anomalies.
  5. If no fetal parts are recognized, search for diagnostic placental tissue which is soft and shaggy or spongy (i.e. villous) [as opposed to membranous (likely to be decidua) or blood clot].
    • To test if tissue is villous – take the sample in your forceps and place in small amount of water: if villous, the tissue will float and branch out.
  6. If no fetal parts or villi are recognized, submit a minimum of 5 cassettes.
    1. If we still don’t find evidence of intrauterine gestation after histological examination, we will have to submit additional sections.
  7. If fetal parts are present, submit 3 cassettes of placental tissue/villi (with umbilical cord and membranes if present) and fetal parts.
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