Perinatal and Infant Autopsy
Overview
Pediatrics
Authors
Affiliations
Objectives: To measure perinatal and infant autopsy rate in Wales over a 10-year period and study factors influencing the decision to perform an autopsy.
Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of data from the All Wales Perinatal Survey.
Methods: Autopsy rates were calculated over a 10-year period (1994-2003), and reasons for not performing an autopsy were noted. Two time periods, 1994-1996 and 2001-2003 were compared, to study changing autopsy patterns.
Results: Over the 10-year period, there were 4393 perinatal and infant deaths, with data available for 4306 (98%) cases. Consent for autopsy was requested in 89% of cases and granted in 68%. When compared, the 3-year cumulative autopsy rate fell from 67.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 65% to 69%) in 1994-1996, to 52.7% (CI 49% to 55%) in 2001-2003. The difference in the proportion of autopsies performed between the two time periods was 14.8% (CI 11% to 18%). Parental consent was granted in 76.2% (CI 73% to 78%) of cases in 1994-1996 and 60% (CI 57% to 63%) of cases in 2001-2003. The difference in proportion in consent for autopsy in the two time periods was 16% (CI 12% to 20%).
Conclusions: A decrease in perinatal and infant autopsy rates has been found in Wales over the past 10 years. Parental refusal has been the main cause of this decline.
Xu Y, Cheng C, Zheng F, Saiyin H, Zhang P, Zeng W Heliyon. 2023; 9(9):e19984.
PMID: 37809936 PMC: 10559671. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19984.
OKeefe H, Shenfine R, Brown M, Beyer F, Rankin J BMJ Open. 2023; 13(1):e064774.
PMID: 36609326 PMC: 9827258. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064774.
The key role of examining the placenta in establishing a probable cause for stillbirth.
Odendaal H, Pattinson R, Schubert P, Mason D, Brink L, Gebhardt S Placenta. 2022; 129:77-83.
PMID: 36257090 PMC: 10618053. DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.10.001.
Autopsy and pre-mortem diagnostic discrepancy review in an Irish tertiary PICU.
ORahelly M, McDermott M, Healy M Eur J Pediatr. 2021; 180(12):3519-3524.
PMID: 34137920 PMC: 8210522. DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04155-3.
Deng Y, Wang R, Zhou X, Ren L, Liu L Medicine (Baltimore). 2019; 98(23):e15788.
PMID: 31169678 PMC: 6571210. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000015788.