title: Nine year survey of 138 ectopic pregnancies.
abstract: During the nine years (1986-1994), 138 women underwent surgery for ectopic pregnancies (One for every 213 deliveries). The commonest presenting symptom was abdominal pain (96%) followed by vaginal bleeding (83%). Four patients were asymptomatic and were diagnosed at a routine antenatal ultrasound scan. The most frequent physical findings were abdominal tenderness (87%) and followed by adnexal tenderness (57%). Histories of infertility in 17%, use of intrauterine contraceptive device (13%), and previous ectopic pregnancy in 11% were elicited. Eleven patients (8%) had a false negative urinary pregnancy test and subsequently required surgery. The ectopic pregnancies were tubal in 97% of the cases. There were 3 ovarian ectopics and one cervical ectopic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aboud
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chaliha
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage