Foreword: Clinically Focused Insights on the Placenta and Umbilical Cord: An Evidence-based Symposium.

In this symposium, we introduce a collection of reviews that delve into the diverse clinically relevant aspects of the placenta and umbilical cord. The symposium addresses placenta previa and abruption; pathology, genetics, and imaging of the placenta; infections of the placenta; and ischemic placental disease. The umbilical cord's essential function as a fetal lifeline is explored, with an emphasis on the clinical repercussions of its dysfunction, including vasa previa and other umbilical cord abnormalities. This curated collection of reviews, which synthesizes the placenta's and umbilical cord's fundamental role in maternal-fetal health, underscores the clinical importance of these structures in pregnancy.