Reproductive potential after an ectopic pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To measure statistically how soon pregnancy can occur after an ectopic pregnancy (EP) so as to determine the cumulative pregnancy rate and the risk factors involved in nonpregnancy.


METHODS
The risk of not getting pregnant after an EP (survivorship) was estimated for 120 patients followed up for up to 60 months using the actuarial life-table technique. The risk factors involved in nonpregnancy, abortions, or live births were analyzed, using Cox regression models.


METHODS
King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.


RESULTS
There were 68 pregnancies over the study period, with a conception rate of 56.7%. Using the actuarial life table, the cumulative probability of not achieving pregnancy in a patient decreased sharply during the first 12 months, followed by a gradual decrease up to 48 months. The Cox regression analysis showed a correlation between pregnancy and two variables, namely, age and history of prior EP. The chances of a pregnancy resulting in abortion or live birth also correlated with the presence of prior infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or postoperative complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and prior EP are important determinants in pregnancy rates after an EP. Similarly, history of PID, infertility, and postoperative complications are important risk factors in whether the pregnancy goes to term or ends in abortion.
al-Nuaim
L
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bamgboye
E A
EA
Chowdhury
N
N
Adelusi
B
B
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015993:Life Tables; D016014:Linear Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors