The wounded uterus: pregnancy after hysterotomy.

Despite contraceptive advice, a high proportion of patients who have had a pregnancy terminated by hysterotomy became pregnant again within a short space of time. Fifty-three such pregnancies have been studied, and a substantial risk of rupture of the uterus was demonstrated in 14 cases where the scar was thin. Rupture, impending rupture, or presumptive rupture occurred in three of these cases. Nevertheless successful vaginal delivery occurred in about 80% of cases. The infants so produced were often small for dates. Due weight should be given to the risks of subsequent early pregnancy and uterine rupture before terminating a pregnancy by the operation of hysterotomy without sterilization.