title: Clinical, sonographic, and epidemiologic features of second- and early third-trimester spontaneous antepartum uterine rupture: a cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present prenatal findings and maternal and neonatal outcomes following second- and early third-trimester spontaneous antepartum uterine rupture events in our institute.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charts of patients with full-thickness second- or early third-trimester symptomatic uterine ruptures locally treated between 1984 and 2007 were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were seven events involving six women, all requiring emergency laparotomy, and cesarean section (CS). During the study period in our institute, there were 120 636 singleton deliveries (> or =22 weeks' gestation), including 5 of our cases, while in 2 cases, the rupture occurred earlier (<22 weeks' gestation). The rupture occurred after > or = 1 previous CSs in five cases. Six events were associated with abnormal placentation: placenta previa (n = 3), placenta percreta (n = 1), or both (n = 2). Other associated events included short, interpregnancy (IP) interval (n = 3) and past uterine rupture (n = 2). Pregnant women at gestational age > or = 22 weeks, who had the combination of placenta previa, and previous CS (n = 3), had a higher chance for spontaneous symptomatic antepartum uterine rupture when compared to women with placenta previa without a previous CS (OR 29.3, 95% CI 1.5-569.3, p = 0.007). There were no maternal deaths. Three of the five viable neonates survived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spontaneous symptomatic second- or early third-trimester uterine rupture in nonlaboring women is a very rare, obstetric emergency, which is hard to diagnose. Maternal and neonatal outcomes can be optimized by awareness of risk factors, recognition of clinical signs and symptoms, and availability of ultrasound to assist in establishing diagnosis, and enabling prompt surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel, affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vaknin
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maymon
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mendlovic
authors.forename: Oshri
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Barel
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014597:Uterine Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery