Ectopic pregnancy: a single-center experience over ten years.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics associated with ectopic pregnancy (EP) that could be utilized for predicting morbidity or mortality. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of pregnancy-related records from a tertiary center over a period of ten years. Data on age, gravidity, parity, EP risk, amenorrhea duration, abdominal pain presence and location, ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-HCG) level, ultrasound findings, therapeutic intervention, exact EP implantation site and length of hospital stay (LOS) were obtained from the database. The LOS was used as a proxy for morbidity and was tested for an association with all variables. All statistical analyses were conducted with Stata® (ver. 16.1, Texas, USA). RESULTS: The incidence of EP in a cohort of 30,247 pregnancies over a ten-year period was 1.05%. Patients presented with lower abdominal pain in 87.9% of cases, and the likelihood of experiencing pain was tenfold higher if fluid was detectable in the pouch of Douglas. Only 5.1% of patients had a detectable embryonic heartbeat, and 18.15% had one or more risk factors for EP. While most EPs were tubal, 2% were ovarian. The LOS was 1.9 days, and laparoscopic intervention was the main management procedure. The cohort included one genetically proven dizygotic heterotopic pregnancy (incidence, 3.3 × 10- 5) that was diagnosed in the 7th gestational week. The only association found was between the ß-HCG level and LOS, with a linear regression ß coefficient of 0.01 and a P-value of 0.04. CONCLUSION: EP is a relatively common condition affecting approximately 1% of all pregnancies. ß-HCG correlates with EP-related morbidity, but the overall morbidity rate of EP is low regardless of the implantation site. Laparoscopic surgery is an effective therapeutic procedure that is safe for managing EP, even in cases of heterotopic pregnancy.

Management strategies of heterotopic pregnancy following in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and safety of different treatment modalities for heterotopic pregnancy (HP) in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles to avoid influence on intrauterine pregnancy (IUP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases of HP (n = 90) were from the IVF/ICSI registry database at the Reproductive Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University. An additional 360 women were randomly selected as controls. The primary outcome to examine the risk factors, diagnostic modalities and the impact of different treatment modalities for HP. RESULTS: Our results showed that surgical treatment had a certain effect on improving the live-birth rate, although the effect was not statistically significant (87.9% vs. 70.8%, P = 0.055). The risk factors for HP included previous tubal surgery and hydrosalpinx. Fourteen days after embryo transfer, the serum levels of ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) and estradiol (E2) were lower in the HP group than in the IUP group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, age and endometrial thickness showed a significant difference between the early abortion and the live-birth groups of HP. CONCLUSIONS: In our retrospective study, we supported early surgical laparoscopic intervention to minimize the incidence of abortion of IUP, which resulted in a better live-birth rate. A history of ectopic pregnancy and previous tubal surgery may increase the risk of HP. Low levels of serum ß-hCG and E2 on the 14th day after embryo transfer could indicate the incidence of HP.

Spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy successfully treated via laproscopic surgery with subsequent viable intrauterine pregnancy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Heterotopic pregnancy (HP) refers to the presence of simultaneous pregnancies at two different sites of implantation, one intrauterine and the other extrauterine. The incidence of HP has increased in recent years secondary to a rise in the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). CASE: A 34-year-old woman, without risk factors for multiple pregnancies, presented with a spontaneous hypertopic pregnancy to a military facility. The ectopic pregnancy was successfully treated via laparoscopic surgery. She maintained a viable intrauterine pregnancy and was 32 weeks gestation with no complications at the time of submission. DISCUSSION: This case highlights the importance of maintaining a wide differential in a patient who presents with elevated Beta-human Chorionic Gonadotropin Hormone (B-HCG) levels, which continue to rise, as well as signs and symptoms consistent with ectopic pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Currently the rate of ART is rising; therefore, the expected cases of HP will likely continue to rise. At this time, there are no standard protocols for treatment and diagnosis of HP; this is an area that should be further researched in order to provide the best medical care for these women, the intrauterine pregnancy and future fertility.