Background There are increasing reports of term live abdominal pregnancies even though the diagnosis of abdominal pregnancy is made preoperatively only in 45% of cases which partly explains the high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with abdominal pregnancy. Case Report We report a rare case of misdiagnosed term abdominal pregnancy complicated by fetal demise due to cord round neck in a 29-year-old G3P2002 at 39-week and 1-day gestation. She noticed reduced fetal movements for which upon examination fetal death was diagnosed. Cervical ripening was started which eventually failed, and surgery was indicated. Findings were an abdominal pregnancy with a third-degree macerated fetus with cord round neck. She was discharged on day 8 postoperation to continue follow-up as an outpatient with regular βHCG and ultrasound checks. Conclusion This case illustrates the need to effectively confirm an intrauterine location of a pregnancy even in a case of fetal demise and the need to monitor for cord abnormalities in advanced abdominal pregnancy being managed expectantly.
The first-trimester rupture of a bicornuate uterus (BU) is a rare obstetrical emergency, especially following previous normal vaginal deliveries where it is often misdiagnosed. A 24-year-old G3P2002 woman presented at 11 weeks of gestation with sudden onset of severe left iliac fossa pain without other symptoms. On examination, she was fully conscious and hemodynamically unstable with signs of peritoneal irritation, a distended pouch of Douglas and a slightly enlarged uterus and a tender left adnexal mass. The diagnosis of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy was made and a laparotomy was done. Intra-operative findings were hemoperitoneum, a left ruptured BU and a dead fetus. Surgical management entailed hysterorrarphy, left salpingectomy and conservation of both ovaries. Her postoperative course was uneventful and future fertility was preserved. We recommend a high index of suspicion of ruptured BU as a differential diagnosis of acute abdomen in the first trimester in women with previous term vaginal deliveries.
According to Betran AP, et al. [1], there have been a global progressive increase over the last decades in the rate of deliveries by caesarean section (CS) although the reasons for such a trend are not completely understood. Based on data from 121 countries, the trend analysis showed
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