A case of pulmonary hypoplasia associated with intrauterine brainstem necrosis

An infant with intrauterine brain death accompanied by pulmonary hypoplasia is reported. The fetus was delivered after 36 weeks gestation, 5 weeks aft er fetal movements ceased. The child died 4 h after birth. Pulmonary hypopl asia and remote brainstem necrosis associated with multicystic encephalomal acia were found at autopsy. Conclusion: these findings suggest that damage to brainstem respiratory centres had led to pulmonary hypoplasia through th e absence of fetal respiratory movement.