DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2015.v03i04.019

Pages: 349-350

All ante-partum (beyond 28 weeks) and intra-partum deaths for practical purposes are termed as intrauterine deaths. The cause of intrauterine death (IUD) is reported to be unknown in 25-60% of all cases. The cases where a cause is clearly determined, the cause of intrauterine death (IUD) can be referred to fetal, maternal, or placental pathology. One of the maternal factor which also causes a significant proportion to intrauterine fetal death is trauma to mother may be in the accidental, suicidal or homicidal manner. Most intrauterine death happens in full term pregnancies. In the present case trauma in the form of accidental thermal burns to mother leads to fetal loss. A great challenge occurs on the part of forensic pathologist when he/she received such dead fetus in the mortuary for post-mortem examination (to determine whether the fetus was dead, still or live born). Maceration is the process of aseptic autolysis which begins to occur as soon as an undelivered infant dies and considered to be the surest sign of intrauterine fetal death. It arises secondary to the effects of autolytic enzymes. Since this process occurs in what is usually a sterile environment, the changes which arise are unlike those which occur following other deaths.