Cytogenetic studies: an essential part of the paediatric necropsy

Chromosome studies were attempted on 97% of necropsies carried out in the Department of Histopathology of the Adelaide Children's Hospital over the four-year period ending May 1981. Results were obtained from 89% of necropsies of which 7.5% had major chromosome abnormalities. The chromosome results are analysed according to the category of the necropsy and to primary cause of death. It is recommended that cytogenetic studies be performed on all stillbirths and infants dying at less than 28 days of age except in cases of isolated CNS malformation, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), trauma, or known single gene defects.