Professional paper

CAUSES OF PERINATAL DEATHS IN PREMATURELY BORN INFANTS

Antonela Bazina ; Children's Hospital Srebrnjak, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Kuzmić-Prusac ; Institute of Patology, Medical School University of Split, Croatia
Mirna Bazina ; Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embriology, Medical School University of Split, Croatia

Abstract

Aim of this study was to determine causes of perinatal death of premature infants, who were born at the Clinical Hospital Split, in the year 1993. and 2002–03. Methods. Simplified and modified Wigglesworth classification of perinatal death was used. The study included 185 preterm born infants over 500 g and/or 22 weeks of gestation, born and died at the Clinical Hospital Split and postmortem examined at the Department of Pathology and Cytology of the same Hospital. The causes of neonatal death, between two analyzed periods (1993 and 2002–03.), were compared. Results. The most frequent causes of fetal death in prematurely born infants according to the simplified Wigglesworth classification were: normally formed macerated stillbirths (42%) and conditions associated with immaturity (41%). The most frequent pathohistological cause of neonatal death in prematurely born infants was a combination of more findings: hyaline ¬membrane disease and intracerebral haemorrhage (12%), intracerebral haemorrhage and inflammation (9%), while the most frequent single causes of death were hyaline membrane disease (11%) and inflammation (11%). In 1993 intracerebral haemorrhage, inflammation and lung atelectasis were the most frequent causes of perinatal death. During 2002–03 malformations and other findings were most frequently established. Between two analyzed periods significant difference was found in all causes of neonatal death, except in a combination of: hyaline membrane disease, intracerebral haemorrhage and inflammation. Placentas from the prematurely born infants were usually normal (45%). The most ¬frequent placental pathohistological finding from prematurely born infants was inflammation (30%). Conclusion. The most prevalent cause of fetal and neonatal death within preterm infants was condition associated with immaturity, alone or as a part of multiple findings. The most frequent single causes of death were: hyaline membrane disease and inflammation, each of them in 11%, followed by intracerebral haemorrhage and atelectasis (each found in 10%), while the most ¬frequent combined cause of death was hyaline membrane disease and intracerebral haemorrhage (12%).

Keywords

perinatal death; prematurely born infants; immaturity; Wigglesworth classification

Hrčak ID:

23507

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/23507

Publication date:

1.9.2007.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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