Publication:

A retrospective study on management of ectopic pregnancy in tertiary care hospital in Puducherry

Background Ectopic pregnancy is a common cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the 1st trimester of pregnancy; without timely diagnosis and intervention, ruptured ectopic pregnancy can become a life-threatening condition. This study aimed to give baseline indices on the incidence, clinical presentation, risk factors, and the management of cases of ectopic pregnancy presented in Sri Venkateshwara Medical College and Research Center, Puducherry.

Methods This was a 2-year retrospective study of patients who were diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy between January 1st, 2021, and December 31st, 2022.

Results During the study period 24 cases of ectopic pregnancies were diagnosed out of nearly 2000 reported pregnancies. It accounts for about 1.2% of ectopic pregnancies among all pregnancies. The modal age ranges between 18 to 35 years, Incidence of about 37% cases noted in nulliparous women and 67% indicated in multiparous women. The commonest presenting complaints were lower abdominal pain and amenorrhea, and the commonest identified risk factor is a previous history of ectopic pregnancy and a previous history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Other risk factors were previous history of infertility, previous history of tubectomy, and IUCD usage. Out of 24 ectopic pregnancy cases, 6 cases were managed conservatively by medical management and the other 18 underwent surgical management. Among these 18 cases, 3 patients presented with rupture ectopic and were managed by emergency laparotomy.

Conclusions Ruptured ectopic pregnancy is a major cause of maternal morbidity and early pregnancy loss, hence widespread advocacy on prompt diagnosis and early intervention is much needed.