ABSTRACT
Antepartum haemorrhage (APH) is defined as bleeding from or in the genital tract after 24 weeks of pregnancy and prior to the delivery of the baby. APH complicates two–five per cent of pregnancies and is a leading cause of maternal mortality, morbidity, and perinatal mortality worldwide, especially in women who live in areas of conflict or in rural areas with a poor transport infrastructure. Uterine rupture is a rare but important cause of late APH due to the risk of fetal and possible maternal death. Abruption is the premature separation of the placenta and occurs in one per cent of pregnancies. This condition accounts for 20 per cent of cases of bleeding in late pregnancy. Fetal blood vessels can pass through the membranes without any underlying support from placental tissue or from the cord. When these vessels are below the presenting part in the region of the internal os the term vasa praevia is used.
