Puerperal measurement of the symphysis-fundus distance.

Three groups of puerperal women were compared. The first group comprised 51 women with clinically evident endometritis-myometritis. This group was compared to 51 referents (group 2), matched for age, parity and days after delivery. Group 3 comprised 69 randomly selected, healthy puerperal women coming for postnatal check-up of their newborns. Groups 1 and 2 were compared regarding symphysis-fundus (SF) distance. It was found that puerperal women with clinical signs of endometritis-myometritis and healthy, matched referents (groups 1 and 2) did not differ in uterine size as measured by the SF distance. The uterine involution can be followed by simple anthropometry by assessment of the SF distance over the puerperal period. It is concluded that the allegedly swollen and enlarged uterus in puerpera with endometritis-myometritis post partum does not differ in fundal height from the uterus of healthy, normal puerpera.