Suhren JT, Hussein K, Kreipe H, Schaumann N. Comparison of Prenatal and Postmortem Diagnoses from 251 Fetal Autopsies: High Rate of Placenta Pathologies, Low Rate of Discrepancies.
Fetal Pediatr Pathol 2023;
42:630-641. [PMID:
37129914 DOI:
10.1080/15513815.2023.2201623]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: In cases of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), autopsy and placenta pathology can provide additional information to sonographic findings. We assessed the frequency of prenatally missed relevant diagnoses. Materials and methods: A retrospective evaluation of fetal autopsies from 2006 to 2021 was performed and were classified as: i) agreement, ii) cases where autopsy revealed additional findings, or iii) postmortem findings which changed the diagnosis. Results: A total of 199/251 spontaneous IUFD and 52/251 induced abortions were included. In spontaneous IUFD, placenta pathologies were the leading cause of death (89%). Full agreement was found in most cases (91% and 87% in spontaneous IUFD and induced abortion, respectively), while additional findings (7% and 12%) and major discrepancies (each 2%) were detected less frequently. Conclusion: In some cases where major findings were missed, autopsy could establish a diagnosis.
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