Large placental chorioangioma as a cause of sudden intrauterine fetal death. A case report.

A giant placental chorioangioma was diagnosed in a fetus at 22 weeks of gestation by prenatal ultrasound screening and color Doppler imaging. Although no signs of fetal hydrops and cardiac decompensation were observed, the situation of the fetus deteriorated rapidly and in utero fetal death occurred at 26 weeks, attributed to bleeding from ruptured sinusoids within the tumor. Prenatal diagnosis of chorioangioma and treatment modalities are discussed. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel