Autopsy, Placental and Perinatal Pathology
The Division of Pathology provides autopsy services for Cincinnati Children's patients and for outlying institutions, offering comprehensive pediatric, perinatal, and fetal postmortem examinations performed by highly trained pediatric pathologists.
Autopsy Schedule and Coordination
Routine autopsies are performed Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Weekend or holiday autopsies require prior approval from the on-call pathologist or autopsy director. Institutions should contact us before sending a case to coordinate medical record transfer and paperwork.
Genetic Testing Considerations
Genetic testing is not included as part of the autopsy but may be requested separately through the Genetics and Genomics Diagnostic Laboratory. The requesting physician must complete a genetic testing requisition form in advance to prevent delays. Genetic testing is billed separately by the Division of Human Genetics.
Research Tissue Banking
All autopsies with appropriate consent performed at Cincinnati Children's have the opportunity to contribute samples to our institutional Discover Together Biobank which is utilized by researchers from multiple fields to advance knowledge of fetal, perinatal, and pediatric diseases and normal development.
Our autopsy pathologists also participate in banking for additional disease specific registries including the Pediatric Brain Tumor Registry and International DIPG/DMG Registry. Our service can provide postmortem tissue banking services for other external registries upon approval and receipt of appropriate consents and paperwork.
Limited Autopsies
In special circumstances, a limited autopsy may be requested. All limited autopsy requests must receive prior approval from the autopsy director before an autopsy is performed. All limited autopsies require the same documentation and paperwork as full autopsies.
Transportation and Identification Requirements
The referring institution is responsible for coordinating all transportation arrangements to and from Cincinnati Children’s, including return transfer to the originating facility or funeral home. Each body must be clearly labeled with a minimum of two patient identifiers (e.g., full name, date of birth, medical record number). Proper identification is required for admittance to the morgue. Without appropriate identification, the remains will not be accepted, and an autopsy will not be performed.
Required Documentation
- A signed autopsy permit (only Cincinnati Children’s forms are accepted). Forms are also available in Spanish and Arabic. The consent must be obtained and signed by a physician.
- A contact information form listing physicians who should receive reports or be contacted for additional information. Download our General Autopsy Info PDF for more information.
- Clinical history, including medical records, prenatal care details, ultrasound reports, and relevant test results.
- Placental examination materials (recommended for all fetal and perinatal autopsy requests), including a placental worksheet and the placenta (fresh or in formalin). If the placenta was previously examined at another institution, slides, pathology reports, and any remaining tissue samples should be provided.
Fees and Additional Services
Autopsy fees are competitively structured and are billed directly to the referring or contracting institution. Under no circumstances will families or their insurance providers be billed for autopsy services.
Included at no additional charge:
- Routine clinical laboratory testing (e.g., cultures, molecular viral testing)
Additional charges may apply for:
- Reference laboratory testing — requires prior approval and a payment agreement.
- Radiographic imaging — not routinely performed, but can be arranged through the Radiology Department; any associated costs will be added to the autopsy service invoice.
Autopsy Reports
- Preliminary report: Available within four business days and faxed to the designated contact that is listed on the contact information sheet.
- Final report: Completed within three months of the autopsy and faxed to the designated contact listed on the contact information sheet.
- Patient families may request a copy of the final report from the Health Information Management Department.
- Our autopsy pathologists are available upon request to discuss both preliminary and final findings with the consenting physician or as part of a clinical care conference with patient families.
Transport Instructions
The outlying hospital must coordinate transport to Cincinnati Children’s Morgue. Upon arrival, the courier or funeral home driver should call Protective Services for access. The same procedure applies for retrieval after autopsy completion. Download directions to the morgue.
