(Société Obstétricale de France, séance du 5 avril. Semaine Médicale, № 21, 1893). About the so-called full presentation of the child's place

Abstract

The author cited 40 cases of placentae praeviae completae observed in Paris hospitals. The autopsy results (8 of them were performed, of which 4 were performed by the author himself or in his presence) and clinical examination prove that a complete or central presentation of placentae undoubtedly exists. In such cases, the cervix turns out to be, contrary to expectations, a little tense, probably due to extreme vascularity, so that ruptures of the cervix during childbirth constitute a completely exceptional phenomenon. Prediction in placenta pravia completa is extremely unfavorable for the mother, but even more for the child: the mortality rate is 80% for children and 35% for mothers. The author considers cervical-vaginal tamponation, which can be done, by the way, by means of various kinds of balloons, as the best solution for treatment.