Antepartum haemoperitoneum due to placenta increta. Case report

A patient is described in whom a placenta increta led to a haemoperitoneum. The diagnosis, made by abdominal paracentesis, led to laparatomy and Caesarean hysterectomy at 31 weeks; the child survived. Delay in diagnosis of the haemoperitoneum was mainly due to difficulties in clinical assessment caused by an episode of premature labour and maternal psychiatric illness.