[Intervention approach and its effect on lowering mortality of ectopic pregnancy in Shanghai].
OBJECTIVE
To explore an effective intervention approach to lower the mortality of ectopic pregnancy.


METHODS
We monitored the mortality of ectopic pregnancy during 1987-1995 in Shanghai and experts' audit, focusing on the causes of death from ectopic pregnancy and combining official administration with intervention approach in medical institutions.


RESULTS
Misdiagnosis and patient's delay to hospital were the causes of death from ectopic pregnancy. There were 523,299 live births in Shanghai from 1987 to 1989, in which 23 cases died from ectopic pregnancy, with a mortality of 4.40/100,000. After implementing the intervention approach, during 1990-1995, 14 cases of the total 625,206 nancies live birth died from ectopic pregnancy, with a mortality of 2.24/100,000, as compared the two, P < 0.05. Accordingly, ectopic pregnancy as the cause of maternal death dropped from the first leading cause to the fourth.


CONCLUSIONS
Intensive health care education in masses, medical staffs' awareness to ectopic pregnancy, and intervention, early hospitalization, early diagnosis and early therapy can lower the mortality of ectopic pregnancy.
Zhou
B
B
Shanghai Women's Health Institute.
Yang
W
W
Qin
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*