[Caesarean section in a dead women (author's transl)]

A case of Caesarean section on a deceased pregnant woman is described. Medical Ethics dictates to carry out this operation as long as their is hope for the delivery of a live infant. A review of the literature suggests to proceed in the following manner: When the mother is with certainty clinically dead and a still viable infant is expected the physician has to proceed with a classical Caesarean section immediately. No preparation is carried out. One scalpel is all that is needed for the operation. Resuscitation methods in the clinically dead mother have to be continued until the infant has been delivered.