Importance of cardiomyopathy and cerebral ischaemia in the diagnosis of fatal coma in pregnancy.

A case of cardiomyopathy of pregnancy where death was due to profound cerebral ischaemia is reported. Two other similar cases are mentioned. Awareness of this syndrome may help the pathologist to establish the cause of coma and death in pregnancy when clinical studies have failed to indicate the cause. It is suggested that electrocardiography should be carried out in all cases of apparent cerebrovascular accidents that occur during pregnancy or the puerperium as there may be an underlying cardiomyopathy. The nature and the possible aetiology of cardiomyopathy of pregnancy are briefly discussed.