Studies of fibrinogen and other hemostatic factors in women with intrauterine death and delayed delivery
Pritchard, J.A.; Ratnoff, O.D.
Surgery Gynecology and Obstetrics 101(4): 467-477
1955
ISSN/ISBN: 0039-6087 PMID: 13256321 DOI: 10.1016/0002-9378(56)90104-1Document Number: 516141
The concentration of fibrinogen in the circulating blood was determined at or near the time of parturition in 31 women with intrauterine retention of a fetus dead for a period of 3 to 12 weeks prior to delivery. In these patients, hypo-fibrinogenemia was detected in 5 patients prior to delivery, at a time when no hemorrhagic manifestations were noted. In another, hypo-fibrinogenemia was seen prior to delivery, at a time when bleeding manifestations were evident. In 2 others, hypofibrinogenemia was noted after hemorrhage immediately postpartum. Serial studies indicate that the process of fibrinogen depletion may be slowly progressive rather than fulminating, and that labor and vaginal delivery per se, even with pitocin stimulation, need not be deleterious to the patients' hemostatic mechanisms.