Contributed by Ryan McCune, MD and Edward C. Klatt, MD,
Department of Pathology, University of Utah Health Sciences
Center Published on line in March 2000 The fetus was the
stillborn product of a gestation estimated to be 29 weeks. The
mother was a 29 year old Hispanic, gravida 4 para 3 abortus 0.
Her previous pregnancies had resulted in one term, two
premature, and no stillborn babies. Prenatal ultrasound was
performed at 23.6 weeks and showed no anomalies. The mother
reported absence of fetal movement three days before delivery.
There was no maternal history of diabetes mellitus, tobacco use,
or alcohol use. Pregnancy was not complicated by hypertension.
There was no clinical evidence for placental abruption or
placenta previa. Premature rupture of membranes had not
occurred. A normal vaginal delivery was induced with Prostin
after confirmation of fetal demise. At birth, the baby was not
meconium stained and no fetal anomalies were noted. The
moderately macerated fetus weighed 731 gm and had morphometric
me