De Subitaneis Mortibus

Abstract

The unexpected finding of a right coronary artery embolism in a human fetus of five months gestational age led to an examination of the hearts of 15 other fetuses lost at approximately the same period of pregnancy. No other examples of coronary embolism were found, indicating that this is not a frequent cause of fetal death. Possible mechanisms of death in the index case are discussed on the basis of the anatomic distribution of the coronary arteries, the blood supply to the sinus node and atrioventricular junction, and the configuration of the interatrial septum.