title: Neonatal freshwater drowning after birth in the bathroom.
abstract: The macroscopic and microscopic findings in neonatal freshwater drowning are demonstrated on the basis of 3 exemplary cases of birth in the bathroom after concealed pregnancy. If the newborn is expelled under water and remains there until death, the lungs cannot be ventilated with air. In case of incomplete or only temporary submersion, aeration of the lungs may develop in the immediate postpartum period. The morphologic criteria of separate existence are critically discussed with respect to the presented findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Technical University, Dresden, Germany. Jan.Dressler@tu-dresden.de
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dressler
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hanisch
authors.forename: Guńter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Demmler
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riehn
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000653:Amniotic Fluid; D001494:Baths; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology; D004332:Drowning / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D005618:Fresh Water; D006406:Hematoma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D011693:Purpura / Q000473:pathology; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000473:pathology; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult