Massive fetomaternal hemorrhage.

We evaluated the potential prognostic factors for fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH). Sinusoidal heart rate pattern and decrease in fetal movement are considered important signs of FMH. However these findings were detected in only two of six cases of FMH and were thought to be late signs of FMH. Fetal hemoglobin levels in the maternal circulation for infants born alive following FMH were less than 5%. Our findings suggest that this amount of blood loss could cause fetal death.