Journal profile · Developmental Biology
Placenta
ISSN 0143-4004 · eISSN 1532-3102 · W.B. Saunders Ltd · ENGLAND · Bimonthly · Founded 1980
Placenta: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.99; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,720; median 108 days to acceptance (114 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 690 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Placenta is published by W.B. Saunders Ltd and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies, Reproductive System and Pregnancy and Birth, Development, and Health, together about 51.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Official journal of the International Federation of Placenta Associations, incorporating Australia and New Zealand Placental Research Association, European Placenta Group, Japanese Placenta Association, and Placenta Association of the AmericasThe journal Placenta publishes high-quality original articles and invited topical reviews on all aspects of human and animal placentation, and the interactions between the mother, the placenta and fetal development, genetics and epigenetics, stem cells, transport, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, cell and molecular biology, and developmental programming.The journal welcomes studies on: Implantation and the endometrium, comparative placentation, the uterine and umbilical circulations, the relationship between foetal and placental development, clinical aspects of altered placental development or function, the placental membranes, the influence of paternal factors on placental development or function, and the assessment of biomarkers of placental disorders.Placenta is the official journal of the International Federation of Placenta Associations, and is committed to supporting the scientific community with rapid processing of manuscripts. Authors may chose to pay for open access publication in order to make their article freely available.PLUS the annual supplement Trophoblast Research!
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Developmental Biology
Editorial board by country: 9 in mainland China (about 12%); most named United States 22, Australia 12, Mainland China 9, United Kingdom 8, Switzerland 4 (73 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Pregnancy and preeclampsia studiesMedicine31.8%
- Reproductive System and PregnancyImmunology and Microbiology10.1%
- Birth, Development, and HealthMedicine9.8%
- Maternal and fetal healthcareMedicine5.2%
- Gestational Diabetes Research and ManagementMedicine5.2%
- Neonatal Respiratory Health ResearchMedicine4.6%
- Prenatal Screening and DiagnosticsMedicine4.4%
- Preterm Birth and ChorioamnionitisMedicine4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Reproductive Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Reproductive Biology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Developmental Biology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Obstetrics & Gynecology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Reproductive Biology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.99LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.9LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.9Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.94LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.98LetPub ·
- h-index
- 112LetPub ·
- h-index
- 180OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,519OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.22OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 6.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 34.52%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 223LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 13,436 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 197 | 102 | 64 |
| 2025 | 690 | 147 | 568 |
| 2024 | 654 | 156 | 1,245 |
| 2023 | 541 | 129 | 1,715 |
| 2022 | 372 | 91 | 2,472 |
| 2021 | 606 | 106 | 4,276 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
108 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 81 days – 162 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (114 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 109 days
- Sample
- 114 articles with submission and acceptance dates (542 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 49 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 120 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,720 / EUR 3,480 / GBP 2,980 / JPY 461,390 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,960 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
- Modelling Human PregnancyDeadline
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 4,000 words
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted14, with length limits
- brief reportPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- case reportPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- letterPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- letters to the editorPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- meta-analysisPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- original articlePLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…main text ≤ 4,000 words
- original articlesOriginal Articles : Full-length reports (up to 4000 words) presenting original basic or clinical investigations related to the placenta.Length not stated
- reviewPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- review articlePLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- review articlesReview Articles : Typically solicited by the Editors. Unsolicited reviews require a pre-submission inquiry.Length not stated
- short communicationmit must be justified in the cover lett Short Communications/Technical Notes : Brief reports or methodological advancements not exceeding 1000 words. These shou…main text ≤ 1,000 words
- short communications/technical notesShort Communications/Technical Notes : Brief reports or methodological advancements not exceeding 1000 words.Length not stated
- systematic reviewPLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
- technical notePLACENTA invites submissions of high-quality research that offers novel insights into placental biology. The types of articles accepted include:Original Article…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- W.B. Saunders Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1980
- ISSN
- 0143-4004
- Electronic ISSN
- 1532-3102
- Society / sponsor
- International Federation of Placenta Associations
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Placenta
What CAS zone is Placenta in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Placenta is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Developmental Biology / Reproductive Biology / Obstetrics & Gynecology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Placenta?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.99; CiteScore 4.9, h-index 180.
How long does peer review take at Placenta?
Based on the dates recorded on 114 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 108 days (interquartile range 81–162 days); authors report an average review time of 3–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Placenta?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 4,000 words; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Placenta based?
Of the 73 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 9 (about 12%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (22), Australia (12) and Mainland China (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Placenta?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Placenta is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Placenta open access, and what is the APC?
Placenta is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,720.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .