[Placental localization and scarred uteri. Apropos of 695 scarred uteri].

The authors studied a series of 649 uteri that had been scarred in order to try and find out whether the fact that the uteri had been operated on had made any difference to the site of the placenta as determined by ultrasound from the 32nd week of amenorrhoea onwards. The long-term effect of having a hysterotomy scar in the uterus on the position of the placenta in a subsequent pregnancy was studied. The results do not agree necessarily with those of other published series. The frequency of low-lying placentae found on ultrasound in the 3rd trimester does not seem to be higher when the uterus has a scar in it. On the other hand, there were more anterior situated placentae and more haemorrhages. Finally, it does seem that the quality of the old scar does affect the position of the placenta.