Sudden death due to aortic dissection in early pregnancy - a case report

Forensic pathologists come across many deaths due to natural causes which are sudden. Sudden natural deaths in females who are pregnant warrant thorough investigation and a medico-legal autopsy to rule out any foul play. Here, we report a case of 21-year-old primigravida in her first trimester who suddenly complained of severe chest pain and was brought dead to the hospital with no history suggestive of prior natural disease. At autopsy, the death was attributed to dissection of ascending aorta.