Causes of stillbirth: a clinicopathological study of 243 patients

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Abstract
Summary. The clinical and autopsy findings in all stillbirths during the years 1974—1979 at the Helsinki University Central Hospital were analysed. There were 243 stillborn infants of whom 200 died before labour. According to the autopsy findings asphyxia accounted for 38% and major malformations for 17% of the deaths, but because of fetal maceration no diagnosis could be made at autopsy in 43%. The cause of death suggested by the clinical findings was placental failure in 57%, cord complication in 12% and major malformations in 17%. The cause of death remained unsolved in 9%. The importance of routine ultrasound and a- fetoprotein screening for the detection of unrecognized risk patients is emphasized.