clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
- generally uterine rupture occurs in pregnancy - in rarer instances the uterine rupture precedes labour (generally a dehiscence of a caesarian scar)
- abominal pain
- variable - may be severe; in some cases women may only have mild pain and uterine tenderness
- vaginal bleeding
- again a variable feature - this is because bleeding is intraperitoneal
- other possible features include:
- maternal shock
- maternal tachycardia
- cessation of uterine contractions
- fetal distress
- disappearance of fetal presenting part from the pelvis
- if uterine rupture occurs postpartum then the woman then a uterine rupture should be considered if there is:
- a continuous postpartum haemorrhage (with a well- contracted uterus)
- postpartum haemorrhage after cervical repair
- shock