Background factors and management of ectopic pregnancy in sweden: Changes over a decade

Abstract

Hospital records of all women operated on for ectopic pregnancy (EP) in four Swedish towns during 1970-72 and 1980-82 were elaborated. The gynecological and obstetrical background was noted and the clinical picture and management was recorded and analysed. The incidence of EP more than doubled between the two periods. There was no major change in classical background factors between the periods, but the proportion of IUCD users rose from 4 to 16 percent. The use of hCG assays, curettage and ultrasound in establishing the diagnosis increased markedly and the proportion of women with ruptured tubes and heavy intra-abdominal bleeding decreased. Moreover there was a clear tendency towards a more conservative surgical approach in the latter period.

Laparoscopic surgery in ectopic pregnancy: A randomized trial versus laparotomy

“…endovaginal sonography (2)(3)(4), and by the widespread use of hCG assays (5)(6)(7). Identification of risk determinants is also of advantage for early recognition before rupture occurs (8). As fertility prospects after EP are still poor (%lo), efforts are also being made to improve surgical management.…”

Ectopic Pregnancy and Its Associated Endometrial Changes

“…Infer tility after an ectopic pregnancy is still a problem, since more than half of the patients who have had an ectopic pregnancy will be infertile. The advantages of diagnosing ectopic pregnancy at a very early stage are to avoid rup ture and in that way minimize maternal mortality and at the same time improve the chances of conception, be cause the possibilities of management by conservative surgery are much better [10,11]. It may be difficult to distinguish an early spontaneous abortion from a subacute course of an ectopic pregnancy, and in obscure cases the pathologic diagnosis of the curet tage material may be the first indication to suggest the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy.…”