[Fatal aortic dissection in a young woman at the 32nd week of pregnancy].

Aortic dissection in young women without Marfan disease is unusual. When it occurs it is often related to pregnancy. We report a fatal case of aortic dissection in a 29-year-old woman at the end of her first pregnancy. A prompt diagnosis and surgical treatment usually permits the physician to save both mother and fetus. In this case the delay in the diagnosis was fatal for both. We retain that knowledge of this rare complication of pregnancy is useful in order to refer patients early for surgical treatment.