[Intra-uterine fetal death following motor vehicle accident (author's transl)].

Following an ultra-sound examination in the prenatal clinic as an out-patient the 27 year old gravida: 2 para; 1 sustained severe blunt trauma to the abdomen and a fracture of the pelvis and a cerebral concusion in a motor vehicle accident at 25 weeks gestation. Following admission for the motor vehicle accident the intra-uterine fetal death was shown. The patient required laparotomy with spleenectomy and suturing of ruptured liver and ruptured mesentery. The 500 g. fresh stillbirth was delivered by hysterotomy. No placental or fetal trauma to explain the intra-uterine death was found although there was vaginal bleeding on admission.