[Causes of perinatal deaths in children delivered out of hospital in material collected by Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw].

The study focused on cases of perinatal deaths of infants delivered out of hospital. The objective of the investigation was to determine the number of such cases in the Warsaw region, focusing in particular on suspected infanticides, evaluate the most frequent causes of death of children born out of hospital and determine possibilities and limitations of autopsies performed in neonates. The material comprised autopsy reports pertaining to 27 forensic perinatal postmortem examinations performed at the Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Warsaw Medical University, Poland, in the years 2001-2008. Determination of cause of death was possible in more than half of the cases. The most frequent cause of death was prematurity. A congenital malformation was seen in one neonate only. The most common factor that hindered determination of cause of death was advanced putrefaction, as well as unavailability of the placenta for examinations noted in more than 50% of the cases.