title: Raised uterine resting tone in patients with abruptio placentae.
abstract: Uterine contractions were studied in 21 patients with abruptio placentae and intrauterine death. Contractions were examined in four 10-minute windows taken immediately prior to delivery, 30 and 60 minutes before delivery and at the beginning of the recording. Mean resting tone values for the 4 periods fluctuated between 23 and 25 mmHg. The mean contraction frequency for all the windows was 8 per 10 minutes. It is postulated that the high resting tone and frequent uterine contractions contribute to the high perinatal mortality associated with abruptio placentae.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Odendaal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burchell
mesh_terms: D000037:Abruptio Placentae / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D009129:Muscle Tonus; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D014590:Uterine Contraction