Tubal ectopic pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
Approximately 1/100 pregnancies are ectopic, with the conceptus usually implanting in the fallopian tube. Some ectopic pregnancies resolve spontaneously, but others continue to grow and lead to rupture of the tube. Risks are higher in women with damage to the fallopian tubes due to pelvic infections, surgery, or previous ectopic pregnancy.


METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What treatments improve outcomes in women with unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to May 2008 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The authors also separately searched Medline and Pubmed up to May 2008 in addition to the Clinical Evidence systematic search to support the comments and clinical guide sections.


RESULTS
We found 47 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: salpingotomy, salpingectomy, systemic methotrexate, systemic methotrexate following salpingotomy, and expectant management.
Varma
Rajesh
R
Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Gupta
Janesh
J
D000818:Animals; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005187:Fallopian Tubes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008727:Methotrexate; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000601:surgery; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal; D058994:Salpingectomy
D008727:Methotrexate