Trophoblastic embolism in sudden maternal death.

Trophoblastic embolism (TE) was shown in three out of eight maternal autopsy cases. The trophoblasts of TE were easily identified by the immunocytochemical method with antisera to placental antigen (PA) and human placental lactogen (HPL). Two types of TE were differentiated in the morphology of trophoblasts: One was formed of whole trophoblastic cells (TE-Type I) and the other was composed of amorphous trophoblastic fragments (TE-Type II). The TE-Type II was confirmed in the central nervous system (trophoblastic emboli in brain) and appeared to be the sudden maternal death cause.