title: Air embolism during sexual intercourse in the puerperium.
abstract: Air embolism is a rare but well-recognized cause of sudden death during pregnancy or in the puerperium. Many of the cases described in the medical literature are associated with sexual activities, in particular following air insufflation during orogenital sex. This case report describes the sudden death from air embolism of a young woman during consensual penetrative vaginal intercourse with her male partner 12 days into the puerperium.
authors.affiliation: State Pathologist's Department, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland. James.Lyness@statepathni.org.uk
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lyness
authors.forename: Alastair J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bentley
mesh_terms: D003075:Coitus; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004618:Embolism, Air / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology