Session on September 17 in the morning

Berry Hart (Edinburgh), speaker. - Usually at the beginning of labor, and often even before the onset of any signs of labor, the most severe blood loss is observed in cases of placenta previa, and this circumstance mostly coincides with one of the usual periods of menstruation. The cervix, due to the proximity of the attachment of the placenta, is always very vascular, and sometimes extremely tense. Any attempt to pass the hand through the cervix at this time, with the aim of separating the placenta completely or removing the baby, can only be made at the risk of rupture or injury to the uterus. Extraction of the fetus through the cervix, even in cases where there is no need to penetrate the uterus by hand, is a process associated with insignificant chances for the child and with great danger for the mother: hence the indication is to act without violence and haste.