[Contribution of anatomic verification of the fetus and newborn infant in diagnosis and genetic counseling. Apropos of 221 autopsies].

The authors report the results of 221 post-mortem examinations of fetuses, newborns, and infants performed during 26 months and theirs involvements in genetic counselling. 10,8% of these cases are provided by therapeutic terminations of pregnancy; necropsy confirmed the diagnosis afforded except for maternal infectious diseases contracted during pregnancy in which post-mortem examination revealed generally no abnormality. Genetic diseases represented 33,7%: in these cases anatomic examination took variable role, it is more important in multivisceral malformative syndromes, sudden death of infancy, and histologically prominent feature diseases. In 38,5% of cases, medical acquired disease were found; it elucidated cause of death and generally permitted to carry out favourable genetic counselling. At least 17,1% of cases stayed unexplained after necropsy.