Abstract

We report a case of postpartum choriocarcinoma from a 23-year old primiparous woman which was preceded by fetal anemia and intrauterine fetal death at 37 weeks' gestation. It has not been previously described in Korean literatures. The placenta, weighing 550 gm, contained multiple intervillous thrombi with laminated fibrin residue and pale cut curface. Histologic evidence of choriocarcinoma was not found in the placenta or in any fetal organs at autopsy, but large number of nucleated red blood cells and immature hemopoietic cells in the fetal capillaries of the placenta suggested the presence of fetal anemia. It was assumed that feto-maternal transfusion might had played a major role of fetal anemia and death.

• Keywords: Choriocarcinoma;Postpartum;Fetal death;Transfusion;Intervillous thrombi