History of the Placenta Association of the Americas
Relative Member
Distribution
The Placenta Association of the Americas (PAA) begins with a simple but powerful idea: science moves further when people move together. Before its formation in the early 2000s, placental researchers across North, Central, and South America often pursued their work in parallel, divided by geography, language and limited opportunities for collaboration. Yet they were united by a common goal: to understand the placenta.
PAA emerged to bridge those divides. Placental research in the Americas was originally represented through the Rochester Trophoblast Conference (RTC), which emerged from pioneering work in placentology in the early 1960s. The RTC met periodically—sometimes jointly with the European Placenta Group—and served as the principal forum for placental research across the Americas until 2000. In parallel, the North American Trophoblast Meeting (NATM) was established in the mid-1990s as a satellite meeting of the then Society for Gynecologic Investigation (later the Society for Reproductive Investigation). At the final RTC in 2000, the RTC and NATM united to form the Placenta Association of the Americas (PAA), creating a unified body to represent placentologists throughout the region.
As the regional member society of the International Federation of Placenta Associations (IFPA), it created a vibrant and inclusive community where scientists and clinicians could share ideas, mentor the next generation, and build partnerships that transcend borders. From its earliest days, PAA has championed inclusivity and mentorship, supporting trainees and emerging laboratories through travel fellowships, joint workshops, and cross-disciplinary symposia. PAA satellite meetings have become touchstones for innovation and connection, reflecting PAA’s enduring commitment to uniting basic and clinical science while strengthening the placental research community across the Americas.
A strong example of regional collaboration is the partnership between SLIMP (Sociedad Latinoamericana de Interacción Materno-Fetal y Placenta – Latin American Society for Materno-Fetal Interaction and Placenta) and the PAA. Recognizing that many Latin American trainees faced challenges attending IFPA meetings internationally, SLIMP, supported by the PAA, has organized meetings throughout Latin America that provide local opportunities for scientific exchange. These meetings have allowed trainees to connect with colleagues from North America, fostering integration with the global placental research community. As a result, new collaborations have formed between research groups across Latin America, and numerous trainees have gone on to secure research positions in leading laboratories around the world.
Today, PAA stands as one of IFPA’s four regional pillars, alongside the European Placenta Group (EPG), the Japanese Placenta Association (JPA), and the Australian and New Zealand Placental Research Association (ANZPRA). More than an organization, PAA is a dynamic network of scientists, clinicians, and trainees dedicated to advancing placental research and improving maternal and fetal health. Through collaboration, mentorship, and shared purpose, PAA continues to embody the spirit that inspired its founding and drives its mission forward.