Term Delivery Complicated by Uterine Rupture with No Prior History of Cesarean Section or Uterine Curettage Following Oxytocin Use and Arrest in Second Stage of Labor: A Case Report

Abstract

BACKGROUND Uterine rupture during delivery in an unscarred uterus may be associated with oxytocin dose during second stage arrest and with underlying maternal factors. This report is of a 34-year-old woman, gravida 5, para 3, with no previous history of cesarean section (CS), who had a uterine rupture at term delivery following the use of oxytocin for second-stage arrest. CASE REPORT A 34-year-old Afghani woman, gravida 5, para 3 was admitted at term for delivery. The current pregnancy had been normal and the estimated birth weight was approximately 4000 g. There was no history of steroid treatment or any underlying connective tissue disease, and no history of dilation and curettage. Oxytocin was given as per protocol, starting at 20 ml/h of a dilution of 10 IU/1 L natrium chloride (NaCl). Subsequent labor progress was complicated by arrest of descent in the second stage of labor, necessitating cesarean section delivery. After opening the abdominal wall, a uterine rupture with several large blood clots was discovered, freely floating in the peritoneal space, about 500 ml in volume. The rupture stretched from the left side of the uterine body and down into the thin lower segment. The tissue in this area had diffuse hematoma. CONCLUSIONS Although uterine rupture mostly occurs in women with previous CS, this report has shown that uterine rupture can occur in pregnancy complicated by arrest in the second stage of labor.