title: Pregnancy of unknown location: Outcome in a tertiary care hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out the outcome of a cohort of women with pregnancy of unknown location presenting to a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study was conducted from January to December, 2011, at Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit, King Faisal Military Hospital, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia. Data was collected for women with early pregnancy or with history of amenorrhoea, bleeding or pain. These women were investigated with serum beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin levels twice weekly and transvaginal ultrasonography weekly. Expectant management was done for failing pregnancy of unknown location while medical or surgical management was considered for persistent pregnancy of unknown location and ectopic pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During study period, 7215 patients were admitted, and, of them, 2212(30.6%) were patients with early pregnancy. Meeting the inclusion criteria were 183(2.53%) patients who formed the study sample. There were 131(71.6%) patients presenting with amenorrhoea, 90(49.2%) had bleeding and 93(50.8%) presented with pain. Outcome of 100(54.6%) patients was failing pregnancy of unknown location, 58(31.7%) had intrauterine pregnancy, 14(7.7%) converted to ectopic pregnancy, while 11(6%) had persistent pregnancy of unknown location. All patients with persistent pregnancy of unknown location and 5(36%) patients with ectopic pregnancy were medically treated. Five (36%) patients having ectopic pregnancy were managed surgically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management of choice for asymptomatic patients having pregnancy of unknown location is expectant management. Most of the patients suspected to have Most of the patients with persistent pregnancy of unknown location and ectopic pregnancy can be managed medically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King Faisal Military Hospital, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nuzhat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, King Fahad Military Hospital, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King Faisal Military Hospital, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Abdoh
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kolkaila
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maternity and Children Hospital, Buraida Al-Qasim, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shahida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yaqoob
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human
keywords: Pregnancy of unknown location, PUL, Ectopic pregnancy, Methotrexate, Saudi Arabia, Assir region.