Rupture of the uterus: the preventable factors.

A review of 50 cases of ruptured uterus revealed that important measures to prevent this serious complication are: good antenatal care; careful attention to patients who have had a previous Caesarean section; the correct management of cephalopelvic disproportion in the multigravida; the recognition of the serious hazards of internal version in the management of transverse lie; and careful attention to detail in the use of oxytocin in the multigravida. The factors that were regarded as critical in maintaining a low maternal mortality rate in rupture of the uterus are also reviewed.