Spontaneous partial uterine laceration in primigravida at 16 weeks of gestation: A case report

Although uterine rupture is well discussed, uterine laceration and partial myometrial laceration are little known. A previous report hypothesized that the stress of labor was associated with uterine laceration.

We present a rare case of uterine laceration in a patient in the second trimester. A 34-year-old primigravida woman at 16 weeks' gestation without a history of uterine surgery complained of sudden low abdominal pain. Ultrasonography showed fetal death and intraperitoneal free fluid. A laparotomy was performed, and partial uterine laceration in the posterior wall along with active bleeding was confirmed.

The etiology of uterine laceration in early pregnancy might be different from both classical uterine rupture and previously published uterine laceration. We hypothesized that tissue inadaptable for uterine enlargement, such as that owing to endometriosis and subtle injury by surgical approach, may be associated with the onset mechanism.

The diagnosis of uterine laceration in early pregnancy is quite difficult because of the absence of specific clinical findings. However, it sometimes causes massive intraperitoneal bleeding and has poor prognosis. Therefore, when uterine laceration is suspected as a cause of hemoperitoneum in a pregnant women, clinicians should perfume exploratory laparotomy appropriately.