Spontaneous Hemoperitoneum in Third Trimester of Pregnancy-an Enigma

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This case report describes a primigravida at 33 weeks gestation who presented with acute abdomen and shock, undergoing laparotomy and cesarean section for a uterine venous bleeder causing hemoperitoneum.

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This case report describes a primigravida at 33 weeks with acute abdomen, hypovolemic shock, and an abnormal cardiotocogram, ultimately undergoing laparotomy and cesarean section under suspicion of placental abruption. Intraoperatively, the authors found 600 mL hemoperitoneum with large clots (750 g) and a small venous bleed on the posterior uterine surface that was secured with hemostatic sutures. The patient was discharged with the baby on postoperative day 7, and the report emphasizes that timely intervention is important, while it is limited by the inherent constraints of a single-case design and lack of broader diagnostic comparison. Relevance to endometriosis: the report itself is a third-trimester pregnancy case, but the paper’s references include studies and systematic reviews linking spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy to endometriosis, and those citations provide the specific context for its inclusion in endometriosis-focused literature.

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Abstract

Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy is a rare and challenging obstetric emergency. It can present as acute abdomen with features of hypovolemic shock and requires high index of suspicion for diagnosis as various obstetric and non-obstetric causes have similar presenting features. Here we present a case of primigravida at 33 weeks of gestation who presented with acute abdomen, signs of shock and a pathological trace on cardiotocogram. She underwent laparotomy and cesarean section in view of suspicion of abruption placentae. Intraoperatively there was hemoperitoneum of 600 ml with 750 g clots and a small venous bleeder on the posterior surface of the uterus which was secured with hemostatic sutures. Patient got discharged along with the baby on seventh postoperative day. Timely intervention is paramount in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality.
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Abstract

Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy is a rare and challenging obstetric emergency. It can present as acute abdomen with features of hypovolemic shock and requires high index of suspicion for diagnosis as various obstetric and non-obstetric causes have similar presenting features. Here we present a case of primigravida at 33 weeks of gestation who presented with acute abdomen, signs of shock and a pathological trace on cardiotocogram. She underwent laparotomy and cesarean section in view of suspicion of abruption placentae. Intraoperatively there was hemoperitoneum of 600 ml with 750 g clots and a small venous bleeder on the posterior surface of the uterus which was secured with hemostatic sutures. Patient got discharged along with the baby on seventh postoperative day. Timely intervention is paramount in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Similar content being viewed by others

References

Aziz U, Kulkarni A, Lazic D, Cullimore JE. Spontaneous rupture of the uterine vessels in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2004;103(5):1089–91. Lier MCI, Malik RF, van Waesberghe JHTM, Mass JW, van Rumpt-Van de Geest DA, et al. Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy and endometriosis: a case series. BJOG. 2017;124(2):306–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14371. Lier MCI, Brosens IA, Mijatovic V, Habiba M, Benagiano G. Decidual bleeding as a cause of spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy and risk of preterm birth. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2017;82(4):313–21. https://doi.org/10.1159/000468933. Brosens IA, Lier MC, Mijatovic V, Habiba M, Benagiano G. Severe spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy may be linked to in vitro fertilization in patients with endometriosis: a systematic review. Fertil Steril. 2016;106(3):692–703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.05.025. Lier MCI, Malik RF, Ket JCF, Lambalk CB, Brosens IA, Mijatovic V. Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) and endometriosis—a systematic review of the recent literature. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2017;219:57–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2017.10.012.

Acknowledgements

None Funding None. Author information Authors and Affiliations Contributions DN, AT and HS were involved in the management of the case; DN wrote the first manuscript. AT and HS revised the manuscript. DN, AT and HS approved the final version. Corresponding author Ethics declarations Conflict of interest The author declares no conflict of interest. Ethical Approval Ethical approval is not required for case reports as per the Institutional Ethics Committee guidelines. Informed Consent Informed consent obtained from the patients and their identity was not disclosed. Consent for Publication We hereby transfer, assign, or otherwise convey all copyright ownership, including any and all rights incidental thereto, exclusively to the journal, in the event that such work is published by the journal. Additional information Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Dr. Deepthi Nayak is currently working as Senior Resident in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Puducherry. She did her MBBS from Kasturba medical college, Manipal, Karnataka and MS Obstetrics and Gynecology from Jawaharlal Institute of postgraduate medical education and research, Puducherry. Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Nayak, D., Thangavel, A. & Sagili, H. Spontaneous Hemoperitoneum in Third Trimester of Pregnancy—an Enigma. J Obstet Gynecol India 72, 449–453 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-021-01522-w Received: Accepted: Published: Version of record: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-021-01522-w

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