The etiology of Couvelaire uterus remains unidentified
and few available reports link it with placental abruption,
placenta previa, preeclampsia, coagulopathy,
amniotic fluid embolism and uterine rupture [42-45, 47-
48]. It is estimated that Couvelaire uterus develops in
5% of patients with placental abruption [51]. It is important
to emphasise that Couvelaire uterus is not always
a result of placental abruption. A very recent case
described by Shreedevi and colleagues presents a diagnosis
of Couvelaire uterus in the absence of placental
abruption and any other pathologies [49]. A different recent
case report describes a Couvelaire uterus that
developed after a dilation and curettage in missed abortion
of 13 weeks old pregnancy. The mechanism suggested
by authors is iatrogenic perforation of the uterine
wall during curettage, letting the blood infiltrate the
myometrium. Hysterectomy was indispensable [46]. In
the case reported by Gogola et al. the debris and air
bubbles in the uterine veins were concurrent with the
Couvelaire uterus and the authors suggest the bloodpermeated
area of uterus to be the “portal” for the debris
to reach maternal vessels and cause amniotic fluid
embolism [48]. Avery and Wells retrospectively describe
the ultrasound findings in Couvelaire syndrome confirmed
during cesarean section. Those findings are large
retroplacental blood clot and blood dissecting into the
myometrium. They state that ultrasound diagnosis of
Couvelaire uterus is limited, but possible [50].