Fertility after ectopic pregnancy.
In the period July 1983 to March 1985, 264 women had surgery for ectopic pregnancy at Grady Memorial Hospital; 76 had postoperative hysterosalpingograms. Of these, 55 (76.4%) women were followed up for 3 to 41 months (mean, 23.8) to determine subsequent fertility. During the follow-up period, 30 pregnancies occurred among the 55 patients; 24 were intrauterine and 6 were repeat ectopic pregnancies. In the surgical group of 39 patients with salpingectomy, 60.8% of those desiring pregnancy achieved an intrauterine pregnancy. Of the 12 patients with salpingostomy, the three who desired pregnancy achieved it (100%). In the tubal abortion group, the two women desiring pregnancy conceived (100%). There were six repeat ectopic pregnancies (10.9%). Of the ectopic pregnancies, one occurred in the salpingectomy group (2.6%), four in the salpingostomy group (33.3%), and one in the tubal abortion group (25%). Five of the six ectopic gestations were found in the contralateral fallopian tube. Hysterosalpingographic evidence of contralateral tubal patency was a good prognostic indicator for subsequent intrauterine pregnancy. By contrast, one half of study patients with findings suggesting tubal occlusion still achieved an intrauterine pregnancy.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30303.
D E
DE
Mitchell
H F
HF
McSwain
H B
HB
Peterson
D000328:Adult; D005186:Fallopian Tube Patency Tests; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012489:Salpingostomy / Q000009:adverse effects