Hamel Autopsy of the Pregnant Woman

In 2003, the United States Death Certificate was revised to require information about the decedent’s gestational status at autopsy and in the year before death. Analysis of this information revealed a shocking and unexpected truth: previous statistical estimates of violent death in pregnancy were vastly underreported. The most common manner of death in American pregnant women is homicide. This work will cover a short history of death during pregnancy and childbirth, and review the studies which revealed the prevalence of fatal violence against pregnant women. The gross and anatomic findings in deaths due to natural causes will be reviewed including amniotic fluid embolus, hemorrhage, peripartum infection, and coronary artery dissection. Autopsy of the Pregnant Woman is distinguished from other works in the field not only by its subject matter, but also by inclusion of specific recommendations pertaining to proper dissection technique, report content and structure, the collection, storage, and transport of specimens for paternity testing, and methods of fetal aging.

• A valuable guide to the autopsy of the pregnant woman for forensic pathologists and trainees in current medico-legal practice.
• Outlines the dissection techniques, specimen collection protocols, and methods of fetal age determination necessary to generate a pathologically and legally sound autopsy report.
• Includes color photographs, both gross and microscopic, as well as schematics to clearly demonstrate autopsy techniques