Intrapericardial teratoma is a rare congenital tumor that without treatment leads to cardidiac failure in either the prenatal or postnatal period. Early diagnosis and recent surgical advances can, in some cases, delay development of intrauterine symptoms and allow final treatment through a tumor resection.However, a large number of intrapericardial tumors go undetected during prenatal diagnostics, until they are found as a cause of intrauterine death cardiorespiratory insufficiency, as in our case report.An abortion was induced in the 23rd gestational week because there was no cardiac activity detected during a routine ultrasound scan in a 35-year old woman.
The tomor was found during the postmortem of the fetus.