title: The possible role of intrauterine infections in unexplained second trimester abortions and macerated stillbirths: a study from a single center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of intrauterine infections in unexplained second trimester abortions and stillbirths.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histopathologic and microbiologic evidence of intrauterine infection in the placentas, fetal membranes and fetal lung tissues of 18 unexplained second trimester abortions and macerated stillbirth cases as well as the placentas and fetal membranes of 10 healthy term neonates were investigated in a prospective study conducted in Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histopathologic chorioamnionitis and placental culture positivity rates in the study and control groups were 64.7 vs 0%. Bacteria were recovered from 90.9% of placentas and 36.4% of fetal lungs of the cases with histopathologic chorioamnionitis. Intrauterine infection was found in 66.7% of the whole study group, in 85.7% of the unexplained second trimester abortions, and in 54.5% of the macerated stillbirths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrauterine infection may be an important factor in unexplained stillbirths and second trimester abortions in centers where pregnancy follow-ups lack evaluation for asymptomatic infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulsum Akdag
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Atay
authors.forename: Saadet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arsan
authors.forename: Begum
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Atasay
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ensari
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aysev
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy