[Abdominal pregnancy, a rare anatomoclinical entity. 4 case reports (1981-1990)].

The opportunity is taken, on the basis of 4 cases of abdominal pregnancy and a review of the literature, to attempt to analyse the various aspects of this increasingly rare pathology. Its incidence is low, being evaluated by our own study at 4/85 757 deliveries, i.e.: 1/21 439 deliveries collected at the Maternity and Neonatology centre of Rabta Tunis during a 10-year period (1981-1990). The essential epidemiological factor is the low socio-economic and cultural status seen in the patients studied. Clinical signs were predominated by metrorrhagia, abdominal pain, disturbed intestinal function and fetal death in utero. The delay in diagnosis explains the onset of frequent fetal complications in the form of fetal death in utero (3 cases out of 4) and of various fetal malformations. Ultrasonography is the essential investigation enabling diagnosis in the presence of clinical suspicion. Surgery is obligatory, excluding any attempt in the majority of cases at extraction of the placenta, which is left in place.