Ectopic Pregnancy
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Basics
Description
- Implantation of fertilized ovum outside of uterus:
- Most commonly fallopian tube (93–97%)
- Abdominal and peritoneal implantations:
- Associated with higher morbidity
- Difficult to diagnose
- Tendency to bleed
- Occurs in ∼2% of pregnancies
- Accounts for 6% of all maternal deaths (leading cause of first-trimester pregnancy-related death)
- 60% of women with ectopic pregnancy are subsequently able to have a normal pregnancy
Etiology
- Risk factors include:
- Woman >35 yr old
- African American
- Previous fallopian tube damage from infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Previous tubal surgery (i.e., tubal ligation)
- Previous ectopic pregnancy
- Intrauterine device (IUD) use:
- 25–50% of pregnancies with IUD are ectopic
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure
- In vitro fertilizations
- Being a current smoker
- More than half of women with ectopic pregnancies have no risk factors
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Basics
Description
- Implantation of fertilized ovum outside of uterus:
- Most commonly fallopian tube (93–97%)
- Abdominal and peritoneal implantations:
- Associated with higher morbidity
- Difficult to diagnose
- Tendency to bleed
- Occurs in ∼2% of pregnancies
- Accounts for 6% of all maternal deaths (leading cause of first-trimester pregnancy-related death)
- 60% of women with ectopic pregnancy are subsequently able to have a normal pregnancy
Etiology
- Risk factors include:
- Woman >35 yr old
- African American
- Previous fallopian tube damage from infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Previous tubal surgery (i.e., tubal ligation)
- Previous ectopic pregnancy
- Intrauterine device (IUD) use:
- 25–50% of pregnancies with IUD are ectopic
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure
- In vitro fertilizations
- Being a current smoker
- More than half of women with ectopic pregnancies have no risk factors
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