title: A case of stillbirth: the importance of placental investigation in medico-legal practice.
abstract: The authors present a case of stillbirth in which histologic examination of the placenta provides the opportunity to make a definitive diagnosis of a death due to fetal thrombotic vasculopathy (FTV). Establishing the etiology in cases of stillbirth may avoid medical malpractice litigation. The better knowledge of the cause of stillbirths also helped obstetricians to recognize factors that could have prejudiced future pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Legale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy. d.marchetti@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belviso
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fulcheri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004899:Erythroblastosis, Fetal / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice; D008470:Meconium; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D050497:Stillbirth; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology*