Conservative Management of Unruptured Ectopic Pregnancy—A Retrospective Study

Abstract

An ectopic pregnancy (EP) is defined as any pregnancy that occurs outside the uterine cavity. The most common site of ectopic pregnancy is the fallopian tube. The goal of this retrospective study is to address medical and conservative surgical management of unruptured fallopian tube EP as an effective manner to preserve tubes to prevent secondary infertility. This study was conducted between January 1, 2010, and April 30, 2024, in Ponni Hospital, Madurai. It included 319 women, out of 6248 pregnant women diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy by using an Inexecreen kit, trans-abdominal scan, trans-vaginal scan, and doubling of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin ( β -HCG) in 48 hours and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Medical and conservative surgical management were given to those patients effectively. Out of 319 patients, 62 patients (19.4%) had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and underwent surgical treatment; 257 patients (80.6%) had an unruptured ectopic pregnancy. The conservative medical management was provided to 257 patients. Out of 257 patients, 235 patients were treated by injecting methotrexate and folic acid rescue when the criteria were met. 14 patients had salpingostomy and injection methotrexate (Inj. Methotrexate) and inj. Prostaglandin F2 alpha was administered into the tubal wall to preserve tubes. 8 patients had a live ectopic pregnancy; for those patients, Inj. Methotrexate was injected into the gestational sac through ultrasound guidance. 225 out of 257 patients reached out to us to seek fertility treatment; the remaining 32 patients were not seeking fertility. All fertility-seeking patients had successful pregnancies. We lost follow-up of 12 patients in this study. Out of 213 patients who came for fertility treatment, a 76.1% success rate was achieved with live birth, the recurrent ectopic pregnancy rate was 13.6%, the miscarriage and stillbirth rates were 10.3%. 32 patients, who were not seeking fertility, had quality life without surgical scars for ectopic pregnancy and cost-effective treatment. 25 patients out of 32 had laparoscopic sterilization later, and 7 patients followed temporary contraception as per our advice. This clinical data was retrieved from medical records.