Conservative treatment of unruptured Ectopic pregnancy in Jamaica

Abstract

Medical treatment with methotrexate is now successfully replacing conservative surgical treatment in selected patients. We reviewed patients treated with methotrexate, compared to salpingectomy and salpingostomy between 1990 to 1995 and 2000 to 2003. For 1990-1995 there were 21 conservative surgical treatments (5.3% ectopic pregnancies). The ratio of ectopic to normal deliveries was 1:24. Medical treatment was done for 19 pregnancies (3.4% of ectopic pregnancies) for 2000 to 2003. During the period there was an ectopic rate of 1:16.8 births. Patients treated medically were similar to those treated surgically except that none reportedly having rebound tenderness and only 1/18 having an ultrasound scan showing a foetal heart and none with a gestational sac >4cm. In the medically treated group the success rate was 68% while in the surgically treated groups success was 100%. There was no significant difference in the parameters in the conservative surgical and medically treated group