Neonatal tracheal obstruction caused by aspiration of decidual tissue.

We report a newborn female born at 29 weeks' gestation who was unable to be resuscitated following a vaginal breech delivery. At autopsy the larynx and trachea contained a 1.2 x 0.2 cm fragment of tissue. Microscopic sections of this tissue revealed it to consist of decidua. This is the first report in the literature of tracheal obstruction secondary to aspiration of decidua. The mechanism by which this tissue may have resulted in completed obstruction of the trachea is discussed.