Bushra Naseem, Arif Tajammul, Hameed Tajammul Khan, Ayesha Arif.
Intrauterine fetal death.
Pak Paed J Jan ;21(1):17-22.

Perinatal mortality rate of which intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) rate is an integral part, is one of the best monitors of medical care offered by a society. IUFS rate in third world countries is still alarmingly high. This is a one year study of IUFDs conducted at Services Hospital, Lahore. Ninety Four patients were enrolled during this period. Patients presenting with IUFDs resulting at home prior to admission were seventy eight (82.91%). Majority of these (71 patients, 75.53%) were unbooked. Seventy two patients (76.59%) with IUFD were uneducated and 65 patients (77.52%) belonged to low socioeconomic class. The common medical disorders with IFUD were hypertension in twelve patients (66.66%), diabetes mellitus in 4 patients (22.22%) and mitral stenosis in two patients (11.11%). Seventy two patients (78.26%) delivered within one day of admission. Twenty two patients (23.4%) delivered between two and forty sir days. IUFD was diagnosed clinically in twenty three (24.46%) patients, by cardiotocography in forty one (43.61%) patients and on ultra sonography in thirty (31.91%) patients. Coagulation profile was carried out in 33 patients (35.1%). It was found to be within normal limits in thirty patients (85.71%). Three patients (8.57%) had disturbed haemostasis, for which one patient (3.03%) was heparinized and two other patients (6.06%) received blood transfusions. Eighty two patients (87.78%) delivered vaginally. No medication was required in twelve (12.76%) patients, oxytocin alone was required in forty one (43.61%) patients, prostin alone in fifteen (15.96%) patients and prostin and oxytocin in combination were employed in eleven (11.7%) patients. Prostagland F2 alpha was used in three (3.19%) patients. Only twelve (12.76%) patients were delivered by cesarean section because of maternal indications. No maternal mortality occurred in this series. IUFD remains a distressingly common problem in our setting.

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