Epidemiologic analysis of fetal death in utero in Singapore.

Records on 1777 cases of missed abortion and 1001 cases of intrauterine fetal death in three major maternity hospitals in Singapore between 1976 and 1980 were analyzed. The overall incidence of these two conditions was 10.35 and 5.82 per 1000 births, respectively. During the 5-year period, the incidence of missed abortion increased consistently, from 8.05 to 12.76 per 1000 births. In contrast, during the same period, the incidence of intrauterine fetal death declined steadily from 6.44 to 4.68 per 1000 births. Missed abortions occurred more frequently in the early part of the year, especially in the months of March, April and May. The incidence of missed abortion and its correlation with possible environmental factors are discussed.