Causes of intrauterine fetal death are changing in recent years

Intrauterine Fetal Death in Term Pregnancy-A Single Tertiary Clinic Study

INTRODUCTION

Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) is defined as death of the fetus after the 20th week of gestation. Despite regular monitoring the incidence of IUFD remains high. This study aims to assess the incidence and maternal conditions associated with IUFD over term pregnancies in a twelve-year period.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective descriptive study was conducted on a population of women in whom IUFD was diagnosed in a term pregnancy during the period from January 2010 to December 2022. The study was at the Clinic for Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Clinic Centre of Serbia. The analyses included the number of deliveries, live births, and stillbirths, as well as maternal, fetal, and placental conditions associated with the risk of IUDF. The statistical analysis involved descriptive statistical methods and one sample proportion.

RESULTS

The average age of the patients was 30 years. Most patients had secondary and higher education, and 70% of patients had regular pregnancy monitoring; 53.33% were primiparous and pregnancies occurred spontaneously. IUFD mainly occurred in the 39th week of gestation. In total, 38.3% had one to two associated diseases, 5% more than three, and 58.33% were healthy. Recurrence of IUFD was reported by 10% of patients, while 8.33% had a history of spontaneous abortion. Over 80% of placental histopathological findings indicated some pathology (e.g., infarction, infections, placental abruption).

CONCLUSIONS

The most significant risk factors for IUFD in term pregnancies in our population during the study period were hypertensive syndrome in pregnancy, obesity and gestational diabetes. Pathological findings on the placenta were more common in our study group than is usually reported with infractions of placental tissue being the most common, even in healthy women.

Proteomic profile of extracellular vesicles in maternal plasma of women with fetal death

OBJECTIVES

Fetal death is a complication of pregnancy caused by multiple etiologies rather than being the end-result of a single disease process. Many soluble analytes in the maternal circulation, such as hormones and cytokines, have been implicated in its pathophysiology. However, changes in the protein content of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which could provide additional insight into the disease pathways of this obstetrical syndrome, have not been examined. This study aimed to characterize the proteomic profile of EVs in the plasma of pregnant women who experienced fetal death and to evaluate whether such a profile reflected the pathophysiological mechanisms of this obstetrical complication. Moreover, the proteomic results were compared to and integrated with those obtained from the soluble fraction of maternal plasma.

METHODS

This retrospective case-control study included 47 women who experienced fetal death and 94 matched, healthy, pregnant controls. Proteomic analysis of 82 proteins in the EVs and the soluble fractions of maternal plasma samples was conducted by using a bead-based, multiplexed immunoassay platform. Quantile regression analysis and random forest models were implemented to assess differences in the concentration of proteins in the EV and soluble fractions and to evaluate their combined discriminatory power between clinical groups. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to identify subgroups of fetal death cases with similar proteomic profiles. A p-value of <.05 was used to infer significance, unless multiple testing was involved, with the false discovery rate controlled at the 10% level (q < 0.1). All statistical analyses were performed by using the R statistical language and environment-and specialized packages.

RESULTS

Nineteen proteins (placental growth factor, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, endoglin, regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES), interleukin (IL)-6, macrophage inflammatory protein 1-alpha, urokinase plasminogen activator surface receptor, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, IL-8, E-Selectin, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, pentraxin 3, IL-16, galectin-1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 12, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1, matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP1), and CD163) were found to have different plasma concentrations (of an EV or a soluble fraction) in women with fetal death compared to controls. There was a similar pattern of change for the dysregulated proteins in the EV and soluble fractions and a positive correlation between the log₂-fold changes of proteins significant in either the EV or the soluble fraction (ρ = 0.89, p < .001). The combination of EV and soluble fraction proteins resulted in a good discriminatory model (area under the ROC curve, 82%; sensitivity, 57.5% at a 10% false-positive rate). Unsupervised clustering based on the proteins differentially expressed in either the EV or the soluble fraction of patients with fetal death relative to controls revealed three major clusters of patients.

CONCLUSION

Pregnant women with fetal death have different concentrations of 19 proteins in the EV and soluble fractions compared to controls, and the direction of changes in concentration was similar between fractions. The combination of EV and soluble protein concentrations revealed three different clusters of fetal death cases with distinct clinical and placental histopathological characteristics.

Unusual intrauterine retained fetal skeletal bony fragments: A case report and review of the literature

An unusual finding in hysterectomy specimen. Associated with a history of abortion. Etiology remains unclear. Clinically it presents with infertility, chronic pelvic pain, menorrhagia, and vaginal discharge. Treatment is by hysterescopic excision.

A case of intrauterine fetal death related to furcate cord insertion: a brief review of the literature and professional liability considerations

The furcate insertion of the umbilical cord is an uncommon abnormality, often asymptomatic, potentially dangerous, or lethal for the fetus and the mother. This report shows the case of a healthy 29-year-old patient, at 37 weeks of gestation, admitted to the hospital two days before the due date because of the appearance of uterine contractions; clinical exams were regular. The following day, no fetal movements were perceived, a cardiotocography was performed, showing the absence of fetal heartbeat. A dead fetus was delivered. Autopsy showed furcate insertion of the umbilical cord and the rupture of the umbilical vessel, which caused fetal hemorrhagic shock. Furcate insertion still remains mostly undiagnosed and rarely it can be identified prenatally (only three cases are reported in literature). Future research, mainly in forensic fields, could improve the knowledge about this condition, helping prenatal diagnosis and providing warnings that can prevent similar deaths in the future.

The Importance of Post-Mortem Investigations in Stillbirths: Case Studies and a Review of the Literature

Stillbirth has an important economic and social impact, though it remains “inexplicable” in many cases. We report the analysis of 11 cases of intrauterine fetal death carried out through a retrospective study conducted in the period between 2014 and 2017. The purpose of the study is to quantify the contribution of the autopsy and placental examination in identifying the cause of stillbirths. For each case, the medical record was analyzed with the relative maternal and partner data, the results of the external fetal and autopsy examination as well as the macroscopic and histological placental examination. The peak of stillbirth was found in a maternal age group between 30 and 39 years, below the 32nd week and above the 37th week of gestation. The results obtained from the clinical history and external fetal examination make it possible to trace the cause of death in only 18.2% of cases. By adding to these data, the results of the fetal autopsy and the placental examination, it is possible to establish the cause of death in 90.9% of cases. The most frequent abnormalities found in the placenta and cord were short or hypercoiled cord, umbilical cord vascular thrombosis, turns around the neck or stretching of the funiculus, placental infarction and placental insufficiency; also, amniotic fluid abnormalities, such as suspected oligohydramnios and chorioamniositi, were found. The accurate analysis of post-mortem placental and fetal examination is essential to reduce the number of unresponsive intrauterine fetal deaths. Determining the cause of fetal death must help clinicians and parents in better management and care in future pregnancies.

Retrospective analysis of stillbirth and induced termination of pregnancies: Factors affecting determination

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify the factors and frequencies of induced termination of pregnancies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective study of 488 terminations of pregnancies (TOPs) between January 2011 and December 2021 to demonstrate the factors affecting the decision to terminate the pregnancy. All cases had been hospitalized to manage the induction of labor. Methods included serial multiple laminaria dilation of the cervix and administration of a cervical misoprostol suppository. After induction of labor, the subject may experience amniotomy, instrumental evacuation of the uterus, and even hysterotomy. Pre-procedure counseling included an agreement to share medical records (paper-based and electronic). We verified the indications for all patients seeking TOPs. All cases were performed according to known diagnostic classifications and divided into seven groups for analysis.

RESULTS

The patient ages ranged from 12 to 46 years. The median maternal age was 34 years [interquartile range (IQR) 30, 37]; 52.2% had at least one prior delivery. The pre-procedure diagnosis was divided into seven groups including the following: chromosomal and genetic abnormalities (146/488, 29.9%), no intrauterine heartbeats (126/488, 25.8%), structural anomalies (84/488, 17.2%), elective termination (56/488, 11.5%), preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) (42/488, 8.6%), cervical incompetence (32/488, 6.6%), and other conditions (2/488, 0.4%). After excluding elective terminations, the eleven-year rate of fetal death and stillbirth to births did not show significant changes from 2011 to 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowing the factors underlying the decision to induce intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) including reasons for objecting to pregnancy are important for obstetricians-they can offer better planning and medical counseling. It is important to educate all women about family planning to prevent large numbers of unwanted and unsafe pregnancy terminations.

Incidence and Causes of Stillbirth in Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Stillbirth is an important indicator of the quality of antenatal health services. This study aimed to identify the incidence and causes of stillbirths among Sudanese women.

METHOD

This is a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study that was conducted at Omdurman Maternity Hospital during the period from December 1, 2019 to May 30, 2020. The study sample comprised 285 women who presented with stillbirths. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to women after taking informed consent. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics [Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY)].

RESULTS

The incidence of stillbirths was 16/1000. Idiopathic causes were the most frequent causes which accounted for 20% (n=57), followed by pre-eclampsia 18.6% (n=53), congenital abnormalities 15.1% (n=43), and abruption placentae 14.4% (n=41). In addition, the less common causes were eclampsia 4.6% (n=13), ruptured uterus 4.2% (n=12), twin-twin transfusion 4.2% (n=12), cord prolapse 3.5% (n=10), uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM) 3.5% (n=10), malpresentation 2.6% (n=8), gestational DM 2.5%(n=7), anemia 2.5%(n=7), sepsis 2.1 (n=6), placenta previa 1.4% (n=4), renal disease 0.4% (n=1), and toxoplasmosis 0.4% (n=1).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of stillbirths was 16/1000. Unexplained causes of stillbirths were the most common causes which accounted for 20% of all deaths. In contrast, explainable causes were responsible for 80% of fetal deaths. Among explainable causes, pre-eclampsia and its consequences (abruption, eclampsia) remain the most common cause.

[Short-term prognosis of the co-twin who survives after single intrauterine fetal demise]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the short-term prognosis of the co-twin who survives after single intrauterine fetal demise (sIUFD).

METHODS

A total of 52 infants who survived after sIUFD were enrolled as the case group, and 104 twins, matched for gestational age, from a pair of live-born twins without sIUFD were enrolled as the control group. Related clinical data were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Among the 52 infants who survived after sIUFD, 42 (80.8%) were preterm infants, 13 (25.0%) had brain injury, and 3 (5.8%) died in the neonatal period. Compared with the control group, the case group had significantly higher incidence rates of meconium stained amniotic fluid/bloody amniotic fluid/polyhydramnios/hypamnion, torsion of cord/nuchal cord, and placenta previa/placenta abruption, as well as significantly higher incidence rates of birth asphyxia, anemia or polycythemia at birth, and coagulation disorder at birth (P<0.05). The case group also had significantly higher incidence rates of nosocomial infection and brain injury than the control group during hospitalization (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an increase in the incidence rate of complications in the co-twin who survives after sIUFD. Prenatal evaluation and long-term follow-up should be performed for the surviving co-twin.

The prediction of fetal death with a simple maternal blood test at 20-24 weeks: a role for angiogenic index-1 (PlGF/sVEGFR-1 ratio)

BACKGROUND

Fetal death is an obstetrical syndrome that annually affects 2.4 to 3 million pregnancies worldwide, including more than 20,000 in the United States each year. Currently, there is no test available to identify patients at risk for this pregnancy complication.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine if maternal plasma concentrations of angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors measured at 24-28 weeks of gestation can predict subsequent fetal death.

STUDY DESIGN

A case-cohort study was designed to include 1000 randomly selected subjects and all remaining fetal deaths (cases) from a cohort of 4006 women with a singleton pregnancy, enrolled at 6-22 weeks of gestation, in a pregnancy biomarker cohort study. The placentas of all fetal deaths were histologically examined by pathologists who used a standardized protocol and were blinded to patient outcomes. Placental growth factor, soluble endoglin, and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Quantiles of the analyte concentrations (or concentration ratios) were estimated as a function of gestational age among women who delivered a live neonate but did not develop preeclampsia or deliver a small-for-gestational-age newborn. A positive test was defined as analyte concentrations (or ratios) <2.5th and 10th centiles (placental growth factor, placental growth factor/soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 [angiogenic index-1] and placental growth factor/soluble endoglin) or >90th and 97.5th centiles (soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 and soluble endoglin). Inverse probability weighting was used to reflect the parent cohort when estimating the relative risk.

RESULTS

There were 11 fetal deaths and 829 controls with samples available for analysis between 24-28 weeks of gestation. Three fetal deaths occurred <28 weeks and 8 occurred ≥28 weeks of gestation. The rate of placental lesions consistent with maternal vascular underperfusion was 33.3% (1/3) among those who had a fetal death <28 weeks and 87.5% (7/8) of those who had this complication ≥28 weeks of gestation. The maternal plasma angiogenic index-1 value was <10th centile in 63.6% (7/11) of the fetal death group and in 11.1% (92/829) of the controls. The angiogenic index-1 value was <2.5th centile in 54.5% (6/11) of the fetal death group and in 3.7% (31/829) of the controls. An angiogenic index-1 value <2.5th centile had the largest positive likelihood ratio for predicting fetal death >24 weeks (14.6; 95% confidence interval, 7.7-27.7) and a relative risk of 29.1 (95% confidence interval, 8.8-97.1), followed by soluble endoglin >97.5th centile and placental growth factor/soluble endoglin <2.5th, both with a positive likelihood ratio of 13.7 (95% confidence interval, 7.3-25.8) and a relative risk of 27.4 (95% confidence interval, 8.2-91.2). Among women without a fetal death whose plasma angiogenic index-1 concentration ratio was <2.5th centile, 61% (19/31) developed preeclampsia or delivered a small-for-gestational-age neonate; when the 10th centile was used as the cut-off, 37% (34/92) of women had these adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSION

(1) A maternal plasma angiogenic index-1 value <2.5th centile (0.126) at 24-28 weeks of gestation carries a 29-fold increase in the risk of subsequent fetal death and identifies 55% of subsequent fetal deaths with a false-positive rate of 3.5%; and (2) 61% of women who have a false-positive test result will subsequently experience adverse pregnancy outcomes.