Radiography of a stillborn fetus delivered after prolonged intrauterine retention shows overlapping of the cranial bones at the sutures. This finding is known as:

• A Halberd sign of fetal demise
• B Roberts sign, indicating intrauterine gas formation
• C Spalding sign, indicating maceration of the fetus ✓
• D Normal moulding of labour

Explanation

Maceration is aseptic autolysis of a dead fetus retained in sterile amniotic fluid, producing reddish-brown skin slippage, lax joints and collapse of tissues. The Spalding sign, overriding of skull bones visible radiologically, is a classic indicator of fetal death and maceration. Roberts sign refers to gas shadows in the great vessels and heart of a dead fetus, a different radiological marker. Moulding of labour involves overlapping too, but it occurs during live birth with intact skull contour and no skin changes.

Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.