Spontaneous Hemoperitoneum in a Patient with Unscarred Pregnant Uterus: A Rare Case Report

Abstract

Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) - defined as blood within the peritoneal cavity of non-traumatic aetiology is a rare, life-threatening event, particularly relevant to women with endometriosis if they are undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. This dramatic complication has been associated with high perinatal morbidity and mortality, but the trigger of the spontaneous bleeding has not been established. Given the rarity of SHiP, its diagnosis is almost always unsuspected until the time of imaging, which is undertaken in patients who present with acute abdominal pain and/or distension and anaemia. Although the aetiology of SHiP remains unknown and may be multifactorial, several theories have been proposed to explain the rare complication.