Ectopic pregnancy: a case-control study of aetiological risk factors

Endometriosis and the risk of ectopic pregnancy: 10-year retrospective cohort study

Objective:

Our primary objective is to give weight to the unanswered and recently heavily debated question, as to whether endometriosis is a statistically significant risk factor for ectopic pregnancy. Our study also provides information on the ethnicity, age and parity of each woman. We report the clinical presentation, the presence of other risk factors as well as intraoperative findings.

Design:

A retrospective cohort study.

Settings:

Whipps Cross University Hospital, Bart’s Health NHS Trust which is a district general University hospital in East London.

Population:

All women, over 10-year period (2005–2014), who were surgically treated for an ectopic pregnancy.

Methods:

In total, 800 patients were surgically managed. A total of 100 had incomplete data and were, therefore, excluded from analysis. The clinical details, demographics and operation notes were retrospectively analysed for 700 patients. Data were analysed using the student’s t test or chi-square analysis as appropriate.

Results:

In total, 37 women (5.3%) had endometriosis and 663 women (94.7%) had no evidence of endometriosis. Of the 37 patients, 24 had stage 1, 11 had stage 2 and 2 patients had stage 3 endometriosis.

Conclusion:

Our data support the theory that endometriosis is not a statistically significant occurrence in women with surgically managed ectopic pregnancy and is not risk factor for ectopic pregnancy.

Tubal transport of gametes and embryos: a review of physiology and pathophysiology

With the advent of assisted reproductive technology in the past three decades, the clinical importance of fallopian tubes has been relatively overlooked. However, successful spontaneous conception requires normal function of the tube to provide not only a conduit for the gametes to convene and embryo to reach the uterine cavity, but also a physiologically optimized environment for fertilization and early embryonic development. In this review, after a brief description of normal human tubal anatomy and histology, we will discuss tubal transport and its principal effectors, including ciliary motion, muscular contractility and tubal fluid. Furthermore, we will discuss the ciliary ultrastructure and regulation of ciliary beat frequency by ovarian steroids, follicular fluid, angiotensin system, autonomic nervous system and other factors such as adrenomedullin and prostaglandins. In the last section, we describe the adverse impact of various pathological conditions, such as endometriosis, infection and smoking on tubal function and ciliary motility.

Caesarean section and subsequent ectopic pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Caesarean section rates are increasing worldwide, and the long-term effects are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancy in women with a previous caesarean section, compared with vaginal delivery.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Systematic review of the literature using CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Knowledge, published from 1945 until 17 July 2011.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Cohort and case-control designs reporting on the mode of delivery and subsequent ectopic pregnancy. Two reviewers independently assessed the titles, abstracts, and full articles to identify eligible studies, using a standardised data collection form, and also assessed the study quality. Reference lists of the studies included were also cross-checked.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Odds ratios (ORs) were combined using a random-effect model to estimate the overall association between caesarean section delivery and the risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancy.

MAIN RESULTS

Thirteen studies were included, which recruited a total of 61,978 women. Five studies reported adjustment for confounding factors, and the pooled OR of subsequent ectopic pregnancy following a caesarean section was 1.05 (95% CI 0.51-2.15). The removal of one study that reported outlier results yielded a pooled OR of 0.82 (95% CI 0.42-1.61). The pooled crude OR for all 13 studies was 1.36 (95% CI 0.99-1.88).

AUTHOR'S CONCLUSIONS

This review found no evidence of an association between prior caesarean section delivery and the occurrence of a subsequent ectopic pregnancy, but the studies included were of poor or variable quality, and only a small number adjusted for potential confounding factors. Further research of a higher methodological quality is required to assess any potential association between mode of delivery and subsequent ectopic pregnancy.

The risk of ectopic pregnancy following tubal reconstructive microsurgery and assisted reproductive technology procedures

PURPOSE

The incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the general population is 2%, whereas the EP rate following assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is between 2.1 and 11%. EP is also an adverse effect of tubal surgery with incidences up to 40% depending on the type, location, and severity of tubal disease and the surgical procedure.

METHODS

This paper looks at the incidence of EP following tubal reconstructive microsurgery, analyzes risk factors for EP following own 1,295 ART cycles and looks on the incidence of EP in 128,314 pregnancies following ART according to the presence or absence of tubal infertility using data from the German IVF Registry (DIR).

RESULTS

In our clinic, the EP rate following resterilization was 6.7%. In the presence of acquired tubal disease, the EP rate following adhesiolysis, salpingostomy, salpingoneostomy, fimbrioplasty, and anastomosis was 7.9%. The EP rate following ART in our clinic was 5.6%. Previous abdominal surgeries, microsurgical procedures, hydro-/sactosalpinges, salpingitis, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, and periadnexal adhesions showed a significant positive correlation with EP as outcome. Data of DIR demonstrate a significantly increased incidence of EP in the presence of tubal pathology. The highest EP rate related to all clinical pregnancies was 4.5% (95% CI 3.0-6.0) in smoking women <30 years with tubal pathology following IVF.

CONCLUSIONS

In the presence of tubal infertility, the incidence of EP following ART and tubal microsurgery are approximately comparable with each other and higher than in women without tubal infertility. The success of infertility surgery depends on a careful selection of appropriate patients.

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in assisted reproduction

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors for ectopic pregnancy (EP) after IVF-ET.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

In vitro fertilization clinic at a university hospital.

PATIENT(S)

A total of 725 women who conceived after IVF were studied with regard to background factors, indications for IVF, and factors related to the IVF procedure through review of their medical charts. The rate of EP was 4%, corresponding with 29 EPs, of which 2 were heterotopic.

INTERVENTION(S)

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Pregnancy outcome, defined as intrauterine pregnancy or EP. Background factors, indications for IVF, and factors related to the IVF procedure were analyzed for possible correlation with the outcome of EP. Risk factors for EP were identified by logistic regression analysis.

RESULT(S)

Tubal factor infertility, various previous abdominal surgeries, previous EP or pelvic infection, presence of a hydrosalpinx or fibroid, and type of transfer catheter used showed a positive correlation with EP as outcome. Logistic regression analysis identified two factors with predictive power: tubal factor infertility and previous myomectomy.

CONCLUSION(S)

Tubal factor infertility was the most prominent risk factor for EP after IVF. Previous myomectomy appeared to be another important risk factor, but this is a new finding that needs to be confirmed by further study.

Ectopic pregnancy and infertility following treatment of infertile couples: a follow-up of 929 cases

A follow-up analysis was made of 929 infertile couples, with special attention paid to ectopic pregnancy. The conception rate was 46%, and 9% of the pregnancies were ectopic. Previous ectopic pregnancy, an industrial occupation and smoking reduced the fecundity and increased the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Tubal damage as a verified reason for infertility and its treatment also increased the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed the strongest association with ectopic pregnancy to exist in the case of women with a previous ectopic pregnancy (9.9-fold risk) rather than women with primary infertility. Treatment of tubal damage by salpingostomy entailed a 6.0-fold risk and treatment by other methods a 2.8-fold risk. Women working in industry had a 3.5-fold risk of ectopic pregnancy compared with those in other professions.

Ectopic pregnancy and genital infections: a case-control study

This case-control study was carried out to evaluate the significance of genital infections as risk factors in ectopic pregnancy. The study population consisted of 86 consecutive patients with ectopic pregnancy and two age- and parity-matched control groups of women with normal early pregnancy; those with planned pregnancy (I; 65 pairs) and those having legal abortion (II; 51 pairs). Histories of salpingo-oophoritis in the two groups (22% against 5%, P less than 0.05), and of cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection (9% against 0%, P less than 0.05) were more common in patients with ectopic pregnancy than in their controls with planned pregnancy; women in the control group who had undergone legal abortion did not differ from patients with ectopic pregnancy. In serological studies antibodies against Herpes simplex viruses were commoner in patients with ectopic pregnancy than in both control groups (89% against 62%, and 88% against 57%, P less than 0.001). Antibodies against cytomegalovirus were also commoner in patients with ectopic pregnancy than in controls who had had a planned pregnancy (88% against 72%, P less than 0.05). The results support the concept that gynaecological infections are among factors predisposing to ectopic pregnancies.

Ectopic pregnancy: a growing concern

Ectopic pregnancy rates have increased threefold since 1970. Ectopic pregnancy continues to be the leading cause of maternal death in the first trimester of pregnancy. The identification of clients with ectopic pregnancies may be difficult. In this article, risk factors, assessment techniques, and treatment strategies are reviewed. A questionnaire is included for use during pregnancy verification to identify those clients who may be at risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. The role of the nurse practitioner in providing comprehensive care is also addressed.

Radical or conservative surgery for ectopic pregnancy? A follow-up study of fertility of 323 patients

The fertility of 323 patients desiring pregnancy after operation for ectopic pregnancy was analyzed after a follow-up period of 1 to 11 years (mean 5.1 years). The conception rate was 82%. Full-term delivery was obtained in 79% of the pregnant patients and repeat ectopic pregnancy in 13%. Nulliparous women had a significantly lower (P less than 0.01) conception rate (74%) than parous women (86%). The operation method had no influence on subsequent fertility in women with an intact contralateral tube. The women with intact contralateral tubes had a significantly higher pregnancy (P less than 0.001) and full-term birth (P less than 0.01) rates (87% and 83%, respectively) but significantly lower (P less than 0.001) repeat ectopic pregnancy rate (9%) than the women with affected contralateral tube (51%, 56%, and 52%, respectively). Compared with the parous women (9%), the risk of repeat ectopic pregnancy was significantly (P less than 0.01) higher for nulliparous women (22%). Of the nulliparous women with repeat ectopic pregnancy only 16% had a full-term pregnancy.