title: Abdominal gestation.
abstract: Abdominal pregnancy is such an unusual form of ectopic gestation that the diagnosis is often missed or delayed. We report three cases, each with a different clinical presentation. A careful history and evaluation in the Emergency Department (ED), along with liberal and timely use of ultrasonography, are critical for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Features such as abdominal pain inconsistent with a previous presumptive diagnosis, or repeated ED visits, in a patient with a positive beta-HCG test, are suggestive of this diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Section of Emergency Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008487:Medical History Taking; D011247:Pregnancy; D011269:Pregnancy, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography