FETAL DEATH IN UTERO. TEN YEARS RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF A TERTIARY MATERNITY

A. M. Panaitescu, L. Ceaușelu, N. Gică, A. M. Ciobanu, G. Gheoca, A. Dumitru, A. Veduță, C. Gică, G. Peltecu, R. Botezatu

Abstract: Fetal death in utero is complex problem. It is a major public health problem and a tragedy for individual families. It has no common definitions in medicine and legislation. There are no public educational programs or preventive medical strategies. This is a retrospective analysis of fetal deaths in utero in the last ten years in a tertiary maternity. Fetal death in utero was defined as delivery of a non-viable fetus at or beyond 24 weeks gestation. Intrapartum fetal deaths were excluded. All the dead fetuses in utero had an autopsy according to the standard protocols of the Romanian Society of Pathologists. Potential causes of the fetal deaths were classified into two categories, explained and unexplained and the explained causes were further classified into preventable and nonpreventable. The percentage of unexplained causes was similar to that reported in the literature. A strategy to reduce the preventable fetal deaths in utero should be defined including educational and medical aspects. Its implementation is a strong need
Keywords: fetal death, stillbirth, in utero, etiology, preventable, unpreventable, strategy