Uterine rupture associated with castor oil ingestion

A woman at 39 weeks' gestation with a previous Cesarean delivery had severe abdominal pains and rupture of membranes shortly after ingesting 5 ml of castor oil. Forty-five minutes later, repetitive variable decelerations prompted a Cesarean delivery. At surgery, a portion of the umbilical cord was protruding from a 2-cm rupture of the lower transverse scar.