title: Fetal death: coagulation defects and management. Report of 20 cases with study of the half-life of [125I]fibrinogen.
abstract: This report concerns 20 patients with intrauterine fetal death. Blood samples for coagulation studies were obtained before, during and after delivery. No clinical defibrination or bleeding was noted. Coagulation defects were observed as follows: 2 biological defibrinations: The first case was a pregnancy of 32 wk with retention for more than 12 wk; hypofibrinogenemia was noted in all 6 samples, between 180 and 280 mg/100 ml. The second was a pregnancy of 32 wk with retention for more than 8 wk; fibrinogenemia was between 170 mg/100 ml and 140 mg/100 ml. 2 intravascular coagulations with normal fibrinogenemia, increase of fibrin degradation products and positive ethanol tests. 3 cases with slight coagulation defects that were difficult to explain. The coagulation defects appeared to be transient, and sometimes resolved themselves spontaneously. Induction of labour was made in 19 cases; quinine sulfate, used in 17 cases, was remarkably successful (1 intolerance, 1 failure). Study of the half-life of [125I]fibrinogen was made in 18 of the 20 cases. On average, it was reduced by half in comparison with the half-life of healthy men. The decrease was noted even in cases of fetal deaths without the coagulation defects detected by classical tests. The half-life of [125I]fibrinogen in 6 pregnant women before therapeutic abortion was also studied. The decrease of half-life was noted. Changes of metabolism of fibrinogen during pregnancy are discussed.
mesh_terms: D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen