ULTRASOUND STANDARDS FOR ANTENATAL FETAL DEATH

Abstract

Antenatal death is the cessation of fetal heart contractions during pregnancy for more than 22 weeks prior to the onset of labor. Objective: to evaluate the capabilities of the method of ultrasound in antenatal fetal death. Tasks of ultrasound in the presence of a dead fetus: a statement of his death; determining the position, presentation, size, estimated fetal weight and gestational age; detection of congenital malformations (CM) and possible causes of death; clarification of the statute of limitations of death. We have analyzed 126 standard ultrasound protocols of pregnant women with antenatal fetal death. Ascertaining the cessation of heart contractions and determining the location of the fetus present no difficulties for the ultrasound doctor. The assessment of the conformity of the size of the fetus to the gestational period during antenatal death is better determined by measuring the diaphysis of the long bones. Head sizes are used only when it is possible to clearly assess the typical structures of a biparietal slice. The determination of the estimated mass of the fetus is difficult due to autolytic changes and, usually, lack of water. The diagnosis of CM, first established after ascertaining antenatal fetal death, should cause the doctor to doubt that it is in front of us — a developmental defect, as a possible cause of intrauterine death or post-mortem changes that depend on previous intravital changes, cause and duration of death. The article describes the dynamics of the appearance of post-mortem changes. Conclusions: with antenatal fetal death, it is impractical to determine the expected mass of the fetus, it is preferable to estimate the period of probable cessation of development from the measurement of long tubular bones; during an ultrasound of the deceased fetus, it is often impossible to reliably determine the presence/absence of CM and the exact time of death; change in the amount of amniotic fluid is not a reliable diagnostic criterion for the duration of death.