ON THE PATHOLOGICAL FINDING OF THE STILLBORN AND THE EARLY NEONATAL CORPSES

Abstract

Seventy cases of congenital anomalies were found among one hundred and seventy-two autopsy cases of stillborn and newborn infants (seventy-four cases of stillborn from four to ten months pregnancy, thirty-seven cases of newborn and sixty-one cases of artificial abortions from four to seven months pregnancy). The frequency of malformation of newborn infants was 67.5%. Therefore, those malformations were one of the important causes of early neonatal deaths. The anencephaly, anomalies of bones (mainly of the finger and toe) and malformations accompanied by anomalies of internal organs were chiefly found. Thirty-six cases of the congenital malformations of internal organs without external anomalies were found. The anomalies of the heart and great vessels, respiratory and digestive organs were found in those cases. In anencephalic monster, reduced weight of adrenal glands and early involution of fetal cortex were detected. The pituitary gland showed markedly hypoplastic development. Judging from these pathological point of view, the early involution of the fetal cortex in anencephalus should. be ex-plained secondary change.