[Fetal ischaemic brain injury in the second trimester of pregnancy].

Based on clinical, epidemiologic, and experimental studies, the aetiology of white matter damage, specially periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), is multifactorial and involves pre- and perinatal factors. Each of these factors is supposed to be a major precursor for neurological and intellectual impairment, and cerebral palsy (CP) in later life. Antenatal rather than intrapartum factors are now emerging as the major determinants of cerebral palsy. In this case report maternal trauma, benign tumour, severe anaemia and fetal cerebral vascular malformation are supposed as causative factors in intrauterine periventricular leukomalacia resulting from hypoxic-ischaemic injury.