[The placental polyp, a cause of late puerperal hemorrhage (author's transl)].

9.062 deliveries took place from 1975 to 1979 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulm. In 33 patients (0,36%) a curettage had to be performed because of late puerperal hemorrhage. Clinically mostly a placental polyp was suspected. In 10 cases (0,11%) histologic examination revealed trophoblastic tissue, in 17 cases (0,19%) decidua only and in 6 cases (0,066%) endometrium of different stages of proliferation. No correlation could be found between the mode of delivery or the placental stage and the occurrence of late puerperal hemorrhages. Also no correlation could be demonstrated between the bleedings and the number of earlier pregnancies, former curettings or uterine surgery for malformations. Comparison with earlier reports in the literature shows that the rate of late puerperal hemorrhages can be diminished by an active procedure during the placental stage. It must be pointed out that in all cases in which placental tissue can not be demonstrated histologically the term "placental polyp" should be avoided and be replaced by the term "decidual polyp".