Background: Placentas impact by hypertensive disorders and contribute significantly to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to investigate the gross and histological changes in the placentas of gestational hypertensive women. Patients and Methods: The samples of this cross sectional study were collected from Duhok Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Duhok city, Kurdistan region, Iraq. Total 73 placentas were collected from 20-40 years old women with full-term singleton pregnancies, 25 placentas from normo-tensive mothers having no hypertension before as control group and 48 from gestational hypertension women as gestational hypertension group. The maternal and neonatal data were recorded. Immediately after delivery, the placenta was washed, dried, photographed then weighted and dimensions were measured. Morphological features were recorded. Central biopsies were taken for qualitative and quantitative histopathological examination which included: terminal villi, stromal fibrosis, fibrinoid necrosis, calcification, syncytial knots, hyalinization, medial coat proliferation of medium sized blood vessel, avascular villi, congestion, chorangiosisandvasculosyncytial membrane. Statistical analyses were done by using student t-test and chi-square test. Results: In the gestational hypertension, macroscopically, there was no statistical difference. Microscopic finding revealed a significant increase in calcification, fibrinoid necrosis, stromal fibrosesand congestion; whereas vasculosyncytial membrane and avascular villi increased insignificantly and chorangiosiswas not impacted. The gross and histological qualitative results coincided with the quantitative results. Conclusions: The placentas were significantly and adversely affected by the gestational hypertension.