J Postgrad Med
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We present a study of fibrinogen levels in 133 patients who were prone to develop disseminated intravascular coagulation as a result of an underlying complication of pregnancy such as abruptio placentae, pregnancy-induced hypertension, missed abortion, septic abortion, intrauterine fetal death, vesicular mole and amniotic fluid embolism. A high incidence of hypofibrinogenemia was found in cases of abruptio placentae (43.9%) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (25%). ⋯ The use of this simple investigation makes possible the diagnosis of hemostatic failure and also helps to guide replacement therapy during the fibrinopenic state. There were 4 maternal deaths and 12 perinatal losses in this study.