title: [A new fetal death classification system].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stillbirth is the mayor contributor to perinatal mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report a system for classification of fetal deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of 29,916 births with 258 fetal deaths that occurred in a public hospital. Data were obtained from audit reports of stillbirths. The method for classification obstetric condition relevant to the death was applied, based on obstetric and placental pathological findings analyzed exclusively by a single obstetrician and a single pathologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety two percent of obstetric conditions causing fetal death were identified. The most commonly reported were ascending bacterial infection in 26%, congenital anomalies in 19%, arterial hypertension in 12% and placental pathology in 12%. Fetal growth restriction was identified in 50% of stillbirths. Ninety percent were secondary to a primary obstetric condition and 10% had an unexplained cause. Placental abruption as the final cause of fetal death was identified in 60% of cases with arterial hypertension, 43% of cases with placental pathology and 37% of ascending infections. Fetal deaths occurred during pregnancy in 82% of cases and during labor in 17%. Intrapartum asphyxia occurred in 0.8% of stillbirths and presented in term pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obstetric condition relevant to the death method for classification of fetal death is effective to identify the originating obstetric cause of stillbirth and reduces the impact of fetal growth restriction and intrapartum asphyxia as the leading causes of death.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ovalle
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chacón
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geraldo
authors.forename: Letsy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Osses
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kakarieka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D046689:Fetal Mortality; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D050498:Live Birth; D008423:Maternal Age; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000145:classification; D011247:Pregnancy; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology