Morphologic analysis of fetal stress organsin different causes of perinatal death

Abstract

Complications act as stress-inducers during pregnancy so the fetus can develop functional compensatory mechanisms or morphologic changes. The cases analyzed are with congenital malformations or acute stress; chronic included cases with ascending infection (AI) and perinatal hypoxia/anoxia (PHA). The hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) was done to analyze the vacuolization, and the immunohistochemistry to the phagocytosis. The discreet standard of vacuolization was observed in 52.6% of the cases, 22.1% moderate, and 25.3% severe. The number of macrophages was higher in PHA. Changes in these organs are closely related to the cause of death and to the period during which the harmful agent.

• Keywords perinatal
• morphologic
• fetal