Placental structural adaptation to maternal physical activity and sedentary behavior: findings of the DALI lifestyle study

MVPA and percentage of time spent sedentary (% ST) were measured with accelerometers during gestation. Placental sections were immunostained for endothelial cell-specific CD34. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based stereology assessed villous density, number, and cross-sectional area of vessels on whole-slide images and in selected regions comprising peripheral villi only, where the majority of vascular adaptations occur. Expression of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors was quantified using molecular counting analysis. Main