Ectopic pregnancy following emergency contraception with ethinyloestradiol-levonorgestrel: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Emergency contraception with ethinyloestradiol-levonorgestrel is effective, and ectopic pregnancy following its failure is rare.


METHODS
A 21-year-old nulligravid Japanese woman with regular menstrual periods took ethinyloestradiol-levonorgestrel pills for emergency contraception (EC) 36 and 48 hours after a coitus complicated by retention of the condom in the vagina. She started bleeding vaginally 24 days after that intercourse. As the bleeding continued for three weeks she consulted a gynaecologist. The pregnancy test was positive. Two weeks later she complained of lower abdominal pain, and transvaginal ultrasonography suggested a pelvic blood collection. At emergency surgery, she was found to have a left tubal pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Although ectopic pregnancy after failure of EC is rare, one should be alert to its possible occurrence.
Matsushita
Hiroshi
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tsuruoka Municipal Shonai Hospital, Yamagata, Japan. matsuh@kf7.so-net.ne.jp
Takayanagi
Takeshi
T
Ikarashi
Hirokazu
H
D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery
D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D004967:Estrogens; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel