Primary causes of fetal deaths in Athens a clinicopathological study.

The authors studied 239 cases of fetal death, occurring before the 24th week of gestation, during a five-year period, from 1989 to 1993. Based on clinical information and autopsy findings, their cases were classified as follows: 1) amniotic infection syndrome; 2) congenital anomalies; 3) disorders of the placenta and adnexae, and 4) others. The causes of fetal death were determined and evaluated statistically. In 83 cases (39 %), only autopsy revealed the cause of fetal death. The correlation of clinical and pathological findings showed that autopsy constitutes an important source of information for the determination of causes of fetal death, as well as for future genetic counselling. Moreover, it can broaden our knowledge about perinatal mortality, by correctly interpreting clinical and complementary investigation data.