Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
Published on: November 20, 2015
Gliosis in neonatal SUDI cases
May Chiu1, Dawn Elder, Jane Zuccollo
1Medical Student, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
Aim:
To review sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUDI) in the first 28 days of life referred to a Coronial Perinatal Forensic Pathology Service over a 10-year period from 2000 to 2009.
Methods:
Cases were collected from mortuary records, and a retrospective review of autopsy reports and other available infant records was undertaken.
Results:
Twenty-four neonatal SUDI were reviewed. For eight infants, a diagnosis was made at autopsy. For the remaining 16 infants, 14 (87.5%) were bedsharing at the time of death. Maori infants and those living in deprived neighbourhoods were over-represented. Only two infants were preterm, and four were growth-restricted. At post-mortem, white matter gliosis was found in 10 of the 16 (62.5%) unexplained SUDI cases.
Conclusion:
Sudden unexpected infant deaths occur in the first month of life in association with bedsharing. Gliosis may be an important associated risk factor, and its presence indicates a previous insult of prenatal onset.
Related Concept Videos
Brain Abscess l: Introduction
Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology
Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Aneurysm II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
