Assessing gestational age from histology of fetal skin: an autopsy study of 379 fetuses

Ersch, Jörg; Stallmach, Thomas

doi:10.1016/s0029-7844(99)00379-8

Cited by 30 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The gestational age may be determined with the use of anthropometric parameters, published percentile charts, ossification centres as well as histological examination. [11,13,14,16] As a crude method in the forensic setting in Pretoria, South Africa, the so-called Haase"s rule of thumb is commonly used to assist in establishing the gestational age. [13] The determination of live vs. stillbirth can prove extremely difficult, especially in decomposed cases.…”

Section: The General Legal and Medico-legal Milieu Of Investigating Amentioning

confidence: 99%

The medico-legal investigation of abandoned fetuses and newborns—a review of cases admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa

Toit-Prinsloo

Pickles

Smith³

et al. 2015

Int J Legal Med

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Section: The General Legal and Medico-legal Milieu Of Investigating Amentioning

confidence: 99%

The medico-legal investigation of abandoned fetuses and newborns—a review of cases admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa

Toit-Prinsloo

Pickles

Smith³

et al. 2015

Int J Legal Med

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“…The completion of the lanugo hair follicle and the synthesis of hair in the fetus occur by the end of the second trimester [6,24,25]. After birth, lanugo hair is shed and replaced with terminal or vellus hair [22,26].…”

Section: Hair Folliclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adult structure of sweat glands, complete with coiled secretory ducts in the dermis, is obtained by 24-29 weeks of gestational age [6,25]. While the structure and cellular differentiation of the eccrine system is similar in preterm and term infants, infants less than 36 weeks of gestation do not sweat initially in response to environmental stimulus [10,31].…”

Section: Sweat Glandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Synthesis of the pilosebaceous unit begins around 16-18 weeks of gestational age and sebaceous glands are visible by the 18th week [6,25]. The glands are capable of lipid production soon after development, one study citing the appearance of sebaceous lipids in fetal skin samples after more than 110 days, approximately 15 weeks, of gestation [34].…”

Section: Sebaceous Glandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Stratum Corneum Maturation

Chiou

Blume‐Peytavi

2004

Skin Pharmacol Physiol

148

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The importance of the stratum corneum and its barrier function for infants, especially for newborns, is clinically evident. Research regarding the maturation of the stratum corneum in neonates, i.e. when full barrier function is obtained, has produced varying results. Based on transepidermal water loss and percutaneous absorption studies, term infants seem to possess stratum corneum with adult barrier properties. Additionally, postnatal life is thought to accelerate stratum corneum maturation, so that even preterm infants have barrier function similar to term infants at 2–3 weeks of gestational age. However, a look at other parameters, such as skin thickness, skin pH and stratum corneum hydration, shows that neonatal skin is always adjusting to the extrauterine environment in contrast to the steady state of adult skin. This suggests that barrier stabilization may be dependent on achieving a balance between different parameters. However, it is still in question, which parameters, what balance and what timing. This paper provides an up-to-date overview on the neonatal skin barrier based on the review of current literature.

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“…Special attention was paid to the brain which showed a gyration pattern and a neuronal stratification corresponding to 22 weeks' gestational age. Similarly, skin development also indicated that the fetus was not older than 22 weeks' gestation [6] . The only finding discordant to the gestational age of 22 weeks was a striking development acceleration in lung morphology.…”

Section: Case Reportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acceleration of Lung Maturation in a Human Fetus following Maternal Isotretinoin Intake

Fauchère¹,

Ersch²,

Grant

et al. 2006

Neonatology

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The viability of the human fetus increases significantly beyond 25 weeks’ gestation as the lung development progresses towards the ‘saccular’ stage. We report on a fetus of 22 weeks’ gestation whose lung maturation was accelerated by 4 weeks, most likely due to the unintentional exposure to the retinoid isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) during pregnancy. Although retinoids are known to be stored within the lungs and to play a key role in lung differentiation and growth, their storage within the lung is limited during this critical developmental period. Even though glucocorticosteroids are used clinically to enhance lung maturation in the face of impending preterm birth, there are no data yet which demonstrate that glucocorticosteroids, when given alone, are effective in promoting lung maturation prior to 24 weeks’ gestation. Strong evidence however, indicates that glucocorticosteroids promote the utilization of lung retinoids immediately before birth. Our observation of increased lung maturation, in conjunction with the above information suggests that retinoids alone or in combination with glucocorticosteroids might promote lung maturation more effectively than glucocorticosteroids alone when birth seems inevitable at a very early gestational age.

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Assessing gestational age from histology of fetal skin: an autopsy study of 379 fetuses

Abstract: Skin development is a continuous process, but some discrete patterns are strongly related to fetal age, are easy to recognize, and are insensitive to artifacts. In our institution, they have become indispensable in evaluating fetal and neonatal pathology.

Cited by 30 publications

References 6 publications

The medico-legal investigation of abandoned fetuses and newborns—a review of cases admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa

The medico-legal investigation of abandoned fetuses and newborns—a review of cases admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa

Stratum Corneum Maturation

Acceleration of Lung Maturation in a Human Fetus following Maternal Isotretinoin Intake

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