A Clinical Study of Perinatal Autopsy

Recently, the incidence of perinatal death in this country has considerably decreased by th improved antenatal care, increased hospital deliveries and developed resuscitative measures, but is still higher than that of developed country.

We studied about periatal death in order to prove more accurate cause of death by autopsy. We have observed perinatal death occuring in EWHA Woman's Hospital during about 11 year period from April, 1981 to May, 1992. The subjects of our study were 77 cases of still birth and 179 cases of neonatal deaths among 256 cases of total deliveries.

The results of the study were as follows;

1) The ratio of male vs female cases of autopsy was 1.69:1.

2) On distribution birth weight and gestational age, low birth weight under 2500gm occupied 62.5% (160 of 256 cases) and preterm babies were 52.7% (135 of 256 cases).

3) The majority of neonatal death occured within 24 hours of age.

4) The perinatal mortality rate was highest in the maternal age group 25~29.

5) In terms of relation between maternal complications during pregnancy and perinatal mortality, the most frequent disorder was previous IUFD(15.4%) and followed by preeclampsia (14.8%). hydroamnion (13.0%). placenta previa(10.5%) and infection(9.9%) etc.

6) The most common cause of periantal death was prematurity with HMD(26.9%) followed by malformation(26.2%), infection & inflammation(17.2%), intraventricular hemorrage(6.3%) and aspiration SD(5.9%) etc.

7) About fourty percent of congenital malformations were multiple(41.8%) and anencephaly and hydrocephaly were the most frequent in single malformation.