[Rupture of the pregnant uterus]

A case of intrapartum rupture of the uterus in an unscarred uterus uterus is reported. The patient was stimulated with oxytocin infusion at 42 weeks of gestation because of mild preeclampsia. Labour was uneventful for four hours, when the patient suddenly complained of abdominal pain during contractions. The fetus was found in transverse lie and no fetal heart rate could be registered. An acute cesarean section was performed and both the placenta and the child were delivered through a complete rupture extending from the right uterine horn to the vagina. Intrapartum uterine rupture is a rare but serious complication carrying high mortality rates for both mother and child. It is usually considered to be related to a weakness in the uterine wall, e.g. a previous cesarean section.