| Abstract: | The authors studied the lipid content of the vaginal epithelium of gravida in whom intrauterine fetal death had occurred. Fifteen gravida in the 6th to 10th month of gestation were examined and an unusual, inconsistent with the respective gestation term increase in the intra- and extra-cellular lipid content of the vaginal epithelium demonstrated. This is related to a decrease in the amount of estrogen hormones secreted by the placenta. A cytochemical 'lipid test' based on the above findings has been developed by the authors for the diagnosis of intrauterine fetal death during the second half of pregnancy. |
