Determination of Gestational Age and Live Birth in Decomposing Infant Corpse

The number of unwanted pregnancies globally remains high. This is one of the contributing factors to the frequent discovery of decomposing newborn bodies, which can make forensic examinations challenging for pathologists. In April 2022, the body of an unidentified baby, wrapped in a plastic bag, was found in the bushes. An autopsy was conducted following a visum et repertum request. The examination revealed a decomposed infant with a fully formed earlobe, fingernails extending beyond the fingertips, female genitalia with the labia majora covering the labia minora, and ossification nuclei present in the distal femur, proximal tibia, and cuboid bone. Wreden’s test also indicated the presence of air inside the middle ear cavity. Based on these findings, it was concluded that the baby was born alive, with a gestational age of 9–10 months.