Article Sidebar
Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
Abruptio placentae
Abstract
Abruptio placentae occurs on an average in 11 patients per month at Baragwanath Hospital. In 7 years (19621968) 1 228 patients presented with this complication and were treated in the obstetric department. The present report deals with the results of treatment of 138 patients with abruptio placentae in the year 1968. Maternal mortality was nil, 15 babies survived the condition (10·5%);premature infants under 1800 g comprised 94 of the 142 babies delivered. The hospital postpartum haemorrhage rate was increased from 1·5 to 34·1 as a result of The blood coagulation defect which developed in 43 patients in this series. In 4 patients faiiure of the uterus to contract aggravated the blood loss. Correction of the clotting defect before delivery was successful in 30 of 35 severely affected patients. In 5 patients the therapy had to be continued in the post-delivery period because of failure of the blood to clot in the presence of a well-contracted uterus. Therapy consisted of the use of bank blood, doubleor triple-strength plasma, and a minimum of 2 g fibrinogen. The institution of therapy was governed by the clinical observation that the clotting time was prolonged. Artificial rupture of membranes and the administration of Syntocinon 5 U in an intravenous drip formed a basic part of the therapy. Prolongation of the interval between artificial rupture of the membranes and delivery was associated with an increase in the postpartum haemorrhage rate. A review of the results of treatment of 138 patients at this hospital confirms the view that correction of the blood coagulation defect must be instituted promptly and before delivery of the placenta in spite of views that this ceuld in fact be harmful, or even dangerous.
