Clinical Analysis of Intrauterine Fetal Death in Dongsan Medical Center for Recent Five Years

Kim, Jong In

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to evaluate incidence, parirty, gestational age, cause, termination method, and maternal complication of fetal death in utero(IUFD) clinically.
METHODS
A retrospective analysis was made of the birth register and hospital records of 384 cases of the fetal death in utero among 23,703 deliveries at Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University during 5 years from January 1993 to December, 1997.
RESULTS
The incidence of the fetal death in utero was 1.62%. The parity of mother in the fetal death in utero was the most highest in the nulliparous group(26.0%). The most common gestational week when the fetal death in utero was detected was 25-28 weeks gestational period(29.4%). The sex ratio of male vs female fetus was 1.32:1, and the cases of the fetal death in utero weighting less than 2500 gm were 332 cases(86.3%). The mode of the delivery for the fetal death in utero showed that the induction of labor was most common 71.6%, the spontaneous delivery 27.8%, and the laparotomy was 0.2%. The causes of the fetal death in utero showed unexplained causes(34.l%), congenital anomaly(I6.9%), maternal disease(14.3%), pregnancy-induced hypertension(9.6%), abruptio placenta(8.8%), cord complication(5%), and placenta previa(4%). There were 38 cases(9.8%) of maternal complication.
CONCLUSION
The cause in about one third of the IUFD could not be determined by this clinical studies, so further studies with autopsy and chromosomal study must be made on stillborn infants, placenta, cord and fetal membranes in cases where the causes is unknown for the purpose of good outcome in next pregnancy.