ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Although there is no universally accepted clinical practice guide� line for the evaluation of stillbirths that ensures a systematic inves� tigation for the cause of death, a complete autopsy and detailed examination of the umbilical cord and placenta are accepted as core components and their value is not disputed.(1) Indeed, inves� tigations of stillbirths on the basis of cases that have not been fully investigated by an autopsy may lead to inaccurate conclusions.(2)
Pathological examination of the stillbirths can contribute to clinical management in many ways. First, it can establish the cause of death, which is important to the family of the stillbirth and to the clinicians involved in their care. In doing so, abnor� malities can be ruled out and recurrence risks can be estimated. Estimating the time of death is an important aspect of autopsy and it may have medical legal implications. Similarly, in the case of intrapartum death, trauma should be investigated. Second, it can be beneficial to society by the collection of data that can be used in auditing practice and in defining public health policy. Accuracy of antenatal diagnosis, clinical diagnosis, and obstetric management are examples of such audits. Finally, the autopsy is a valuable resource for research and teaching.
