• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.112-117
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• 1997

12-month-old Buldig and 3-year-old German Shepherd, treated with corticosteroids duringthe late pregnancy, were referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Chonnam National University, with chief complaints of vaginal discharge. Radiographic, ultrasonographic and surgical findings that obtained from each cases were as follows; case I: Radiographic findings were identified 2 fetuses that were normal skeleton, however, fetal viability could not be determined. Ultrasonographic findings were identified absence of fetal heartbeat and fetal movement, abnormal echogenicity of the abdominal visera, and echogenic materials remaining within the fetal fluid. After hysterotomy, macroscopic findings of uterus were liquefied materials remaining within the uterine lumen. Fetuses were excessively autolysis (falling off the hair, depression of the eye, and necrosis of the abdormal visera and skin). case II: Radiographic findings were identified irregular fetal structures and fetal movement, loss of recognizable fetal anatomy, dislocation of fetal veterbrae and echogenic materials remaining within the uterine lumen. After ovariohysterectomy, macroscopic finding of uterus and fetus were thickened uterine wall, yellowish-brown colored administration of corticosteroids during gestation should be contraindicated because fetal death is inducced. Ultrasonography has an advantage over radiography in that it permits evaluation of fetal viability.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

During delivery, fetal death rate is about 1%. Since fetal death or infection have been continuously occurred, low cost fetal monitoring techniques are required. This study proposes an electronic stethoscope system for fetal phonogram by developing an amplifier to detect fetal movement and heart sound from abdomen of the pregnant woman. Using the electronic stethoscope, it is possible to listen or record the fetal sound and to analyze or store the digitized signal. Through the performance test using the developed system with 30 pregnant women in university hospital, it was found that the developed amplifier showed low noise, high performance. The system can detect heart sound and periods of heartbeats of a 22-week fetus.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2011

This study investigated potential relationship between fetal deaths and plasma progesterone concentrations of bitches. Serial ultrasonographic examinations were performed on small-pet 23 dogs from gestation day (GD) 15 through parturition. The dogs were 3 non-pregnant bitches, 9 spontaneous delivery bitches, 6 partial early embryonic death bitches, 2 whole early embryonic death bitches, and 3 aborted bitches. The late pregnancy (GD 51-54) appeared in 2 of the 3 aborted bitches and the hypoluteoidism appeared in 1 of the 3 aborted bitches. The plasma progesterone concentrations of partial early embryonic death bitches (n=6) showed no significant difference when compared with the spontaneous delivery bitches. We observed that plasma progesterone concentrations were dramatic decrease before the onset of embryonic death in whole early embryonic death bitches that plasma progesterone concentrations of aborted bitches at late pregnancy were significantly decreased when compared with those of spontaneous delivery bitches. The plasma progesterone concentrations of the hypoluteoidism bitch were lower than those of spontaneous delivery bitches. At the hypoluteoidism bitch, fetuses were resorbed in early pregnancy and aborted in late pregnancy. On the basis of the results, the diagnosis of partial early embryonic death could not be confirmed without ultrasonographic examination. The partial early embryonic death was considered a spontaneous phenomenon and uncorrelated with plasma progesterone concentration. However, aborted bitches and whole early embryonic death bitches were related to plasma progesterone concentrations and that of bitches gradually decreased before fetal death. These findings suggest that administration of progesterone may be a useful preventing agent against fetal death.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.97-107
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• 2014

The placenta is a temporary fetomaternal organ capable of supporting fetal growth and development during pregnancy. In particular, abnormal development and dysfunction of the placenta due to cha nges in the proliferation, differentiation, cell death, and invasion of trophoblasts induce several gynecological diseases as well as abnormal fetal development. Autophagy is a catalytic process that maintains cellular structures by recycling building blocks derived from damaged microorganelles or proteins resulting from digestion in lysosomes. Additionally, autophagy is necessary to maintain homeostasis during cellular growth, development, and differentiation, and to protect cells from nutritional deficiencies or factors related to metabolism inhibition. Induced autophagy by various environmental factors has a dual role: it facilitates cellular survival in normal conditions, but the cascade of cellular death is accelerated by over-activated autophagy. Therefore, cellular death by autophagy has been known as programmed cell death type II. Autophagy causes or inhibits cellular death via the other mechanism, apoptosis, which is programmed cell death type I. Recently, it has been reported that autophagy increases in placenta-related obstetrical diseases such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation, although the mechanisms are still unclear. In particular, abnormal autophagic mechanisms prevent trophoblast invasion and inhibit trophoblast functions. Therefore, the objectives of this review are to examine the characteristics and functions of autophagy and to investigate the role of autophagy in the placenta and the trophoblast as a regulator of cell death.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.47-76
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• 1996

This study was carried out to provide the basic information for the implementation of population quality policies by analyzing fetal life. The outcomes and process of all the pregnancies of women with spouses living in Gapyung-gun, Kyunggi province from November 3, 1993 through December 31, 1995 were analyzed. The results of the study are as follows: According to the fetal life table, the estimated probability of pregnancy outcome showed 53.5% of live birth, 14.5% of fetal death, 32.0% of induced abortion, which resulted in 46.5% of pregnancy wastage throughout gestation period. The curve of the estimated probability of pregnancy outcome by gestation weeks showed L shape in case of total pregnancy rate, induced abortion rate and fetal death rate. The estimated probability of fetal death was 21.9% in case that the induced abortion was excluded, which was 7.4% higher than the case that induced abortion was included. The expected duration of pregnancy was 22.9 weeks until the fourth week of gestation and then started to become the highest, 26.6 weeks at the tenth week. At the 11th week, it declined to decrease to 26.4 weeks. This is attributed to the fact that the pregnancy wastage including fetal death and induced abortion occurred in the early period of pregnancy. The establishment of appropriate policies to cope with this situation are needed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.48-64
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• 2002

The primary recognized health risk from common deficiencies in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), a cytoprotective enzyme for oxidative stress, is red blood cell hemolysis. Here we show that litters from untreated pregnant mutant mice with a hereditary G6PD deficiency had increased prenatal (fetal resorptions) and postnatal death. When treated with the anticonvulsant drug phenytoin, a human teratogen that is commonly used in pregnant women and causes embryonic oxidative stress, G6PD-deficient dams had higher embryonic DNA oxidation and more fetal death and birth defects. The reported G6PD gene mutation was confirmed and used to genotype fetal resorptions, which were primarily G6PD deficient. This is the first evidence that G6PD is a developmentally critical cytoprotective enzyme for both endogenous and xenobiotic-initiated embryopathic oxidative stress and DNA damage. G6PD deficiencies accordingly may have a broader biological relevance as important determinants of infertility, in utero and postnatal death, and teratogenesis.-Nicol, C. J., Zielenski, J., Tsui, L.-C., Wells, P. G. An embryoprotective role for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in developmental oxidative stress and chemical teratogenesis.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.14 no.1 s.75
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• pp.69-77
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• 1975

The premature rupture of membrane is defined as spontaneous rupture of fetal membranes before the onset of labor. The spontaneous premature rupture of membrane is a cause of fetal distress, death and Cause of maternal morbidity, Clinical Nursing study of

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 1991

The combined effect of radiation and ultrasound has been studied in mouse embryos. Radiation and/or ultrasound were adminstered to ICR mice on day 8 of gestation. Intrauterine death, gross malformation, and fetal body weight were selected as indicators of effects. Does of whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$ were 0.5 to 2.5 Gy and those of ultrasound were $0.5\;W/cm^2$ to $3\;W/cm^2$. Intrautrine mortality increased with increasing radiation dose ; this trend was more remarkable in combination with ultrasound. Gross malformations such as exencephaly and anophthalmia/microphthalmia appeared frequently in the fetuses treated with both radiation and ultrasound. Decreased fetal weight was observed even in mice treated with 1.5 Gy of radiation or $1\;W/cm^2$ of ultrasound. There was a linear relationship between dose and reduction of fetal weight. The fetal weight was sensitive, precise and easy-to-handle indicator for the effects of growth retardation. Intrauterine mortality and frequencies of exencephaly and anophthalmia/microphthalmia were higher than the sum of those induced by radiation and by ultrasound. The results indicatied that the combined action of radiation and ultrasound on intrauterine death and malformations was synergistic.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1512-1518
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• 2002

Purpose : Twins have a higher mortality and morbidity than singletons. Co-twin with one fetal death is particularly at risk. We investigated the neonatal outcome of live co-twins when one fetus had died after the 20th gestational week, and associated risk factors. Methods : A retrospective study was performed in fifteen cases of twin pregnancy with single intrauterine fetal deaths after the 20th gestational week during the period from January 1996 to December 2000 at Chonnam University Hospital. Results : Gestational age was $33.7{\pm}3.2weeks$, birth weight was $1,992{\pm}592g$. Interval between one fetal death being detected and the delivery of a live co-twin was $32.4{\pm}29.5days$. There were 11 cases(73.3%) of premature babies less than 37 gestational weeks. Main causes of preterm delivery were preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes. Hematologic findings suggesting disseminated intravascular coagulopathy(DIC) were not found in all mothers before delivery, and was not associated with DIC and encephalomalacia of the live co-twin. Perinatal outcome of fifteen live co-twins was as follows : six were normal(40%), three were DIC(20.0%), three were encephalomalacia(20.0%), one suffered intrauterine growth retardation, there was one case of twin to twin transfusion syndrome, and one of congenital heart disease(atrial septal defect with pulmonary stenosis). The occurrence of DIC and encephalomalacia in live co-twins was not related to placental chorionicity, birth weight, gestational week, and the interval between the detection one fetal death and the delivery of a live co-twin. Conclusion : We could not find any maternal hematologic problems in twin pregnancies complicated by one fetal death. Twenty percent of live co-twins showed DIC and encephalomalacia. However, its associated risk factors were not found. We need to investigate more closely the cases of live co-twins with one intrauterine fetal death.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.273-284
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• 1996

Embryos and fetuses are more sensitive to various environmental agents than are adults or children. The biological effects such as intrauterine death and malformation are closely connected with prenatal exposure very various agents. The sensitivity of these embryonic/fetal effects depends on the stage of pregnancy. From the viewpoint of fetal development, embryonic and fetal stages can be divided into three stages : Preimplantation, organogenetic and fetal. Each stage corresponds to 0 to 4.5days, 4.5 to 13.5days, and 13.5days of gestation in mice, respectively. Many studies on the biologcal effects of mice irradiated by ${\gamma}-rays$ at various stages during organogenesis and fetal period have been performed. Based on these results, the dose-effect and dose-response relationships in malformations, intrauterine death, or retardation of the physical growth have been practically modeled by the ICRP(International Commission on Radiological Protection) and other international bodies for radiation protection. Many experimental studies on mice have made it clear that mice embryos in the preimplantation period have a higher sensitivity to radiation for lethal effects than the embryos/fetuses on other prenatal periods. However, no eratogenic effects of radiation at preimplantation stages of mice have been described in many textbooks. It has been believed that 'all or none action results' for radiation of mice during the preimplantation period were applied. The teratogenic and lethal effects during the preimplantation stage are one of the most important problems from the viewpoint of radiological protection, since the preimplantation stage is the period when the pregnancy itself is not noticed by a pregnant woman. There are many physical or chemical agents which affect embryos/fetuses in the environment. It is assumed that each agents indirectly effects a human. Then, a safety criterion on each agent is determined independently. The pregnant ICR mice on 2, 48, 72 or 96 hours post-conception (hpc), at which are preimplantation stage of embryos, were irradiated whole body Cesium-gamma radiation at doses of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 Gy with dose rate of 0.2 Gy/min. In the embryos from the fetuses from the mice irradiated at various period in preimplantation, embryonic/fetal mortalities, incidence of external gross malformation, fetal body weight and sex ratio were observed at day 18 of gestation. The sensitivity of embryonic mortalities in the mice irradiated at the stage of preimplantation were higher than those in the mice irradiated at the stage of organogenesis. And the more sensitive periods of preimplantation stage for embryonic death were 2 and 48 hpc, at which embryos were one cell and 4 to 7 cell stage, respectively. Many types of the external gross malformations such as exencephaly, cleft palate and anophthalmia were observed in the fetuses from the mice irradiated at 2, 72 and 96 hpc. However, no malformations were observed in the mice irradiated at 48 hpc, at which stage the embryos were about 6 cell stage precompacted embryos. So far, it is believed that the embryos on preimplantation stage are not susceptible to teratogens such as radiation and chemical agents. In this study, the sensitivity for external malformations in the fetuses from the mice irradiated at preimplantation were higher than those in the fetuses on stage of organogenesis.