Table 1 Summary on spectrum and frequency of performed fetal, placental and maternal post-mortem examinations following fetal death in secondary and tertiary care hospitals (n = 46) across Austria (frequency n; percentage %) and comparison of frequency between types of hospital (two-sided Fisher’s Exact test; level of significance p < 0.05)
Examinations | Total | Secondary care hospital | Tertiary care hospital | P-Value | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | % | n | % | n | % | ||||
Fetal | Autopsy | Always | 25 | 54.3 | 19 | 51.4 | 6 | 66.7 | 0.663 |
Under certain circumstances | 20 | 43.5 | 17 | 45.9 | 3 | 33.3 | |||
Never | 1 | 2.2 | 1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
MRI | Always | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.036 | |
Never | 38 | 82.6 | 33 | 89.2 | 5 | 55.6 | |||
Under certain circumstances | 8 | 17.4 | 4 | 10.8 | 4 | 44.4 | |||
Genetics | Always | 8 | 17.4 | 7 | 18.9 | 1 | 11.1 | 0.314 | |
Under certain circumstances | 32 | 69.6 | 24 | 64.9 | 8 | 88.9 | |||
Never | 6 | 13.0 | 6 | 16.2 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
Type of genetic test | Karyotype | 21 | 52.5 | 19 | 61.3 | 2 | 22.2 | 0.016 | |
Karyotype + Microarray | 10 | 25.0 | 6 | 19.4 | 4 | 44.4 | |||
Microarray only | 1 | 2.5 | 1 | 3.2 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
Not disclosed | 8 | 20.0 | 5 | 16.1 | 3 | 33.3 | |||
Placenta | Histology | Always | 40 | 87.0 | 33 | 89.2 | 7 | 77.8 | 0.397 |
Under certain circumstances | 5 | 10.9 | 3 | 8.1 | 2 | 22.2 | |||
Never | 1 | 2.2 | 1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
Maternal | Kleihauer | Always | 4 | 8.7 | 4 | 10.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.871 |
Under certain circumstances | 18 | 39.1 | 14 | 37.8 | 4 | 44.4 | |||
Never | 24 | 52.2 | 19 | 51.4 | 5 | 55.6 | |||
Antibody screening | Always | 22 | 47.8 | 17 | 45.9 | 5 | 55.6 | 0.871 | |
Under certain circumstances | 19 | 41.3 | 16 | 43.2 | 3 | 33.3 | |||
Never | 5 | 10.9 | 4 | 10.8 | 1 | 11.1 | |||
Blood cultures | Always | 6 | 13.0 | 6 | 16.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.540 | |
Under certain circumstances | 36 | 78.3 | 28 | 75.7 | 8 | 88.9 | |||
Never | 4 | 8.7 | 3 | 8.1 | 1 | 11.1 | |||
Virology screen | Always | 17 | 37.0 | 13 | 35.1 | 4 | 44.4 | 0.769 | |
Under certain circumstances | 28 | 60.9 | 23 | 62.2 | 5 | 55.6 | |||
Never | 1 | 2.2 | 1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
Urine culture | Always | 5 | 10.9 | 5 | 13.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.604 | |
Under certain circumstances | 32 | 69.6 | 24 | 64.9 | 8 | 88.9 | |||
Never | 9 | 19.6 | 8 | 21.6 | 1 | 11.1 | |||
Vaginal swabs | Always | 20 | 43.5 | 16 | 43.2 | 4 | 44.4 | 1.000 | |
Under certain circumstances | 24 | 52.2 | 19 | 51.4 | 5 | 55.6 | |||
Never | 2 | 4.3 | 2 | 5.4 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
HbA1c | Always | 10 | 21.7 | 9 | 24.3 | 1 | 11.1 | 0.765 | |
Under certain circumstances | 29 | 63.0 | 22 | 59.5 | 7 | 77.8 | |||
Never | 7 | 15.2 | 6 | 16.2 | 1 | 11.1 | |||
oGTT | Always | 12 | 26.1 | 11 | 29.7 | 1 | 11.1 | 0.144 | |
Under certain circumstances | 26 | 56.5 | 18 | 48.6 | 8 | 88.9 | |||
Never | 8 | 17.4 | 8 | 21.6 | 0 | 0.0 | |||
Thyroid function test | Always | 13 | 28.3 | 11 | 29.7 | 2 | 22.2 | 0.785 | |
Under certain circumstances | 25 | 54.3 | 19 | 51.4 | 6 | 66.7 | |||
Never | 8 | 17.4 | 7 | 18.9 | 1 | 11.1 | |||
Thrombophilia screening | Always | 9 | 19.6 | 9 | 24.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.163 | |
Under certain circumstances | 29 | 63.0 | 21 | 56.8 | 8 | 88.9 | |||
Never | 8 | 17.4 | 7 | 18.9 | 1 | 11.1 | |||