title: The Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network neuropathologic examination protocol.
abstract: We describe the neuropathologic procedure utilized in the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network (SCRN), focusing on the examination of central nervous system (CNS) in stillbirth (SB). The SCRN was organized to perform a case-control study to determine the scope and causes of SB. Pathologists at all the participating centers agreed on and used the same standardized neuropathologic techniques. Standardized sections were taken and detailed data were collected. Fresh brain tissue was saved for investigative purposes. A total of 663 women with SB were enrolled into the case-control study: 620 delivered a single stillborn, 42 delivered twins, and 1 delivered triplets. Of the 560 (84.5%) who consented to postmortem examination, 465 (70.1%) also gave consent to the examination of the CNS. In the 440 stillborn infants in whom CNS examination was possible, 248 (56.4%) of the brains were intact, 72 were fragmented (16.4%), and 120 (27.3%) were liquefied. In summary, this is the largest prospective study dedicated to investigate the causes of SB and collect essential information and biological samples in the United States. A protocol for neuropathologic examination was instituted, and a brain tissue repository was created to provide samples and related data for future investigations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Perinatal Pathology, Women and Infants Hospital, Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02905, USA. halit.pinar@gmail.com
authors.forename: Halit
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pinar
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Hal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Josefine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heim-Hall
authors.forename: Bahig
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shehata
authors.forename: Vanessa R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Thorsten
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willinger
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: dela Monte
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005124:Eye Abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology