BMJ  2004;329 (3 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7456.0-a

Uterine rupture is more likely, but not common, after previous caesarean section

The risk of uterine rupture during labour in women who have had a previous caesarean section is small. Reviewing 568 articles published since 1980, Guise and colleagues (p 19) found that, in women delivering vaginally after a previous surgical delivery, the risk of uterine rupture during labour was increased by 2.7 per 1000 cases, the additional risk of perinatal death was 1.4 per 10 000, and the additional risk of hysterectomy was 3.4 per 10 000. It would require 370 elective caesarean sections to avoid one symptomatic uterine rupture in women who had a previous caesarean section.

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Relevant Article

Systematic review of the incidence and consequences of uterine rupture in women with previous caesarean section

Jeanne-Marie Guise, Marian S McDonagh, Patricia Osterweil, Peggy Nygren, Benjamin K S Chan, and Mark Helfand
BMJ 2004 329: 19. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]