title: [Difficulties for identification of cause of fetal death: how to solve?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the causes of fetal death in the studied population and to measure their contribution in identifying the cause of this outcome. To propose the use of the system Relevant Condition of Death (ReCoDe) in elucidating the causes of fetal death to minimize the number of unknown causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study related to fetal deaths seen at a specialized academic hospital in the South of Brazil, from January 2000 to December 2009. The data were collected in the death certificates, maternal medical records and the reports of study of fetuses and attachments, and the findings were compared. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 17.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Were included 111 fetuses and their respective mothers in this study. The comparison between the diagnostic causes in the pathology and clinical evaluation showed 74 (66.7%) and 73 (65.8%), respectively. Together, they found a potential cause in 48.7% of cases, while 16.2% remained unknown. When analyzing both together with the ReCoDe system, only 9.9% of stillbirths remained as "unclassified."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of diagnoses in the cause of death among the pathological and clinical evaluation showed no significant difference. When comparing the results of the cause of death suggested by the clinic/pathology with the use of the ReCoDe system, it appears that this tool has helped to clarify the cause by reducing the amount of those that remained without a possible etiology.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia e Hospital Universitário, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Salete Medeiros
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Elisa Camargo
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Siebert
authors.forename: William Queiroz Guimarães Wiegandt
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Ceglio
authors.forename: Meire Hellen de
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Almeira
authors.forename: Tatyana Stenger
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Paulo Fontoura
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult