A retrospective review was conducted of 34 women who underwent emergency peripartum hysterectomy at Hutzel Hospital--Wayne State University, Detroit from January 1986 to December 1991. Indications for hysterectomy were placenta accreta, uterine rupture, uterine atony and unspecified uterine bleeding. The median age of the patients was 33 years (20-40 years). The median hospital stay was 6 days (4-26 days) and median blood loss was 2000 ml (1000-6000 ml), with a median blood replacement of 4 units of packed cells (0-16 RPC). Postoperative complications included urinary tract infection (2), vaginal cuff cellulitis (3), wound infections (2), septic thrombophlebitis (2), acute tubular necrosis (1) and wound hematoma (1). No patient died.