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

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.