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MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY
Cary L. Clarke, MD
Definition
Pregnancy located outside the uterus Most common site is in the fallopian
tube Tubal pregnancy may be the most
dangerous Abdominal pregnancy may be carried to
term in some patients
Incidence and Impact
Occurs in 1 in 50 pregnancies Is becoming increasingly more common Is the second leading cause of maternal
mortality overall, and primary mortality factor in first trimester pregnancies
May lead to impairment or loss of fertility
Risk Factors
Previous ectopic pregnancy Tubal damage from infection or surgery Increased age (more common after 35) Smoking (?) Use of an Intrauterine Device
Assisted reproduction (GIFT, IVF, ovulation induction)
Tubal ligation History of infertility (implying underlying
damage) History of PID (C.Trachomatis
especially) is a predictor of ectopic pregnancy risk
Symptoms (early)
Amenorrhea for an average of 7 weeks Abdominal pain (usually lateral)
– Caveat: some women have no pain, and about one-third of women will not have adnexal tenderness.
Vaginal bleeding after an interval of amenorrhea– may include uterine cast, the pregnancy
endometrium which is sloughed with loss of progesterone from corpus luteum failure
Symptoms (later)
Hemodynamic instability Peritoneal signs/acute abdomen Distended, silent, “doughy” abdomen Shoulder pain
Pathophysiology
Conceptus lodges and implants in tube Positive beta-HCG and symptoms of
pregnancy Overdistension of the tube eroding the
blood vessels supplying the corpus luteum
Failure of the pregnancy Bleeding into the abdominal cavity
Natural history
May regress spontaneously Abortion out the end of the tube Chronic hematoma formation Reimplantation elsewhere (abdominal
pregnancy)
Diagnosis
History and physical – any woman presenting with pain and
vaginal bleeding should be considered to have an ectopic pregnancy until otherwise ruled out
Laboratory markers– Beta-HCG(measured in mIU/mL) --lack of
doubling signals only impending failure, not indicative of location;absolute value only helpful in correlation with ultrasound
– Progesterone--also only indicates impending loss, not location
Ultrasound--transvaginal is most sensitive at this stage of pregnancy.
Correlation with the quantitative serum hormone levels is suggested to increase your sensitivity– if intrauterine gestational sac is seen and b-HCG is
1,000-2,000, normal pregnancy is virtually certain.
– If b-HCG is <1,000 and there is an empty uterus, ectopic pregnancy is very likely
– if b-HCG is is less than 1,000 and definite intrauterine ring of pregnancy is seen, SAB is imminent. Serum progesterone may be helpful (if less than 5ng/mL, pregnancy is nonviable).
Finding Ectopic risk
No mass or free fluid Any free fluid Echogenic mass Moderate to large
amount fluid Echogenic mass
and fluid
20%
71% 85% 95%
100%
Treatment Options
Surgery– Tube sparing salpingotomy--used when
gestational sac is <2cm and in distal tube; lateral incision made and gestational sac removed
– Tube sacrificing salpingectomy Expectant mangagment
– b-HCG is <1000 and falling, there is minimal pain and bleeding, and patient is reliable for follow-up
Methotrexate– Requires proper patient selection– Spares patient from surgery and its risks– Does not require hospitalization– May help preserve future fertility
Patient Selection
Hemodynamically stable No medical contraindications (normal LFTs,
renal function, CBC and Plt) Unruptured ectopic pregnancy Absence of embryonic cardiac activity Ectopic mass 4cm or less Starting b-HCG <5,000mIU/mL Reliable for follow up
Mechanism of Action
Methotrexate is an antimetabolite which inhibits the reduction of folic acid to tetrahydrofolate. This interferes with DNA synthesis and cell multiplication. Ideal for disrupting trophoblastic tissue proliferation.
Success Rate
Defined as resolution of pregnancy without surgery
Systemic administration carries a rate between 85% and 95%, with preservation of fertility
Single dose regimens are essentially as effective, with fewer side effects
If a second dose is required, success rate is around 98%
Method of administration
May inject into the gestational sac under ultrasound guidance
Single dose systemic treatment– Methotrexate 50mg/M2 body surface area– Usual dose range is 50-120 mg, average
dose is 80-90mg– Injected IM
Follow up
b-HCG is measured on days 1,4 and 7 If hormone levels fail to decline at least
15% between days 4 and 7, or at least 15% each week thereafter, repeat methotrexate dosing.
Average time to resolution– for single administration, 26days– two dose patients, 48 days
Failure to resolve– if the serial quantitative analysis fails to
reach near zero levels, patient needs further ultrasonographic evaluation and possible exploratory surgery.
Surgical Consultation
Cervical pregnancy Tubal rupture Broad ligament pregnancy Interstitial/Cornuate pregnancy
(implantation at the segment of tube penetrating uterine wall)
Heterotypic ectopic (concurrent ectopic and intrauterine pregnancies)