Conservative Management of Heterotopic Pregnancy: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Patient: Female, 31-year-old Final Diagnosis: Heterotopic pregnancy Symptoms: Pain • pregnancy Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Tubal heterotopic pregnancy is an extremely rare complication of pregnancy, in which there is a simultaneous presence of a pregnancy in the uterine cavity and in an ectopic location, most commonly in the fallopian tube. The management of such cases is not clearly established. In the case of a desire to maintain an intrauterine pregnancy, the surgical procedure consisting of a salpingectomy or salpingostomy is the most common. Such a procedure is effective, but it involves potential complications typical of surgeries, so, in some cases, it seems reasonable to apply the expectant management. Case Report: A 31-year-old woman was admitted to the clinic due to pain in the right lower abdomen. An ultrasound examination revealed a gestational sac in the uterine cavity corresponding to 5 weeks of pregnancy with a yolk sac. A twin sac was found in the right fallopian tube. Due to the patient’s mild symptoms, absence of bleeding into the peritoneal cavity, concerns about the safety of the embryo and the pregnant woman in case of surgery, conservative management was decided. On the 20 th day, the patient was discharged from the clinic with a viable intrauterine pregnancy and a partially absorbed ectopic pregnancy. Conclusions: In the case of an ectopic tubal pregnancy, if there are no symptoms of bleeding into the peritoneal cavity, it is possible to adopt a safe conservative approach with strict patient observation.

Ultrasound manifestations and clinical analysis of 50 cases of heterotopic pregnancy

“…A HP is a rare, difficult-to-diagnose, and life-threatening pathological condition [7][8][9] that occurs mostly in women conceived using ART such as in vitro fertilization, ovulation induction, and intrauterine insemination. 10,11 The incidence has been reported to be as high as 1:100 in ART-conceived pregnancies.…”