Ectopic pregnancy

Background

• Must consider in all women of childbearing age who p/w abd/pelvic pain + hypovolemia
• Leading cause of maternal death in first trimester
• Pregnancy in pt w/ prior tubal sx for sterilization is ectopic until proven otherwise

Risk Factors

1. PID
2. History of tubal surgery
3. IUD
4. Assisted reproduction techniques
5. Previous ectopic

Diagnosis

Clinical Features

1. Abdominal/pelvic pain
2. Vaginal bleeding
3. Amenorrhea

HCG Level

• Helpful in characterizing risk of ectopic, but can NOT be used to rule-out ectopic
  • Normal pregnancy: hCG should double every 2d until 10000 mIU/ml
  • Ectopic pregnancy: hCG increases more slowly or decreases (esp w/ spont. abortion)

Ultrasound: Pelvic

• Used to identify presence or absence of IUP
  • IUP in setting of fertility tx does not necessarily r/o ectopic (heterotopic pregnancy)
• Discriminant zone
  • There is no discriminant zone for an ectopic pregnancy:
    • Perform US if ectopic is suspected regardless of the hCG level
  • Transvag US for IUP: 1500 mIU/ml
    • If hCG > 1500 and no IUP - assume EP
  • Transabd US for IUP: 6000 mIU/ml
• Findings
  • Gestational sac alone does NOT equal IUP (must also have yolk sac)

DDX

1. All Patients
   1. Appendicitis
   2. IBD
   3. Ovarian pathology
      1. Cyst
      2. Torsion
   4. PID
   5. Endometriosis
   6. Sexual assault/trauma
   7. Urinary tract infection
   8. Ureteral colic
2. Pregnant Patients
   1. Normal (intrauterine pregnancy)
   2. Threatened abortion
   3. Inevitable abortion
   4. Molar pregnancy
   5. Heterotopic pregnancy
   6. Implantation bleeding
   7. Corpus luteum cyst

Work-Up

1. Hb
2. Beta-HCG (quantitative)
3. T&S
4. UA
5. Pelvic US

Treatment

1. RhoGAM for all Rh- pts
2. Surgery
3. Medical management (methotrexate)

Source

Tintinalli