Of the 16,057 babies delivered at Kings County Hospital in New York City from January 1954 through June 1955, fetal death occurred prior to the onset of labor in 165 cases, making an incidence rate of 1.03%. Various demographic characteristics and factors of the pregnancy were studied in order to determine causative or related factors. Mothers who experienced the fetal deaths were significantly older but of no higher parity than the clinic population. They were also more likely to have experienced a previous stillbirth than the general population. Patients and physicians agreed in dating of the time of the fetal death. Retention of the fetus was for less than 14 days in the case of 90% of the women; the longest period of retention was 120 days. The subsequent delivery was spontaneous and uncomplicated with no instances of retained placenta or undue postpartum bleeding. Fetal abnormality was not responsible for death at this time; ordinarily, fetal death from congenital abnormalities will occur earlier in the pregnancy. Premature separation of the placenta was a causative factor in 1/3 of the cases, toxemia in 21%, and diabetes in 11 l/2%. More than 1/3 of the cases were deemed unnecessary, i.e., they had been caused by either inadequate prenatal care or erroneous medical judgment. Results of this study support the practice of conservative management in cases of prolonged retention of a dead fetus. - See more at: http://www.popline.org/node/515985#sthash.95OYtWm6.dpuf