These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: A study of 45 cases of ectopic pregnancy.
    Author: Jabbar FA, Al-Wakeel M.
    Journal: Int J Gynaecol Obstet; 1980; 18(3):214-7. PubMed ID: 6109659.
    Abstract:
    Forty-five (45) cases of ectopic pregnancy are reported, an incidence of 1:742 pregnancies. Approximately (40%) of these patients gave a positive history of infertility, pelvic infection or abdominal surgery. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the cases were among gravida 1-5; nullipara and grand-multipara constituted the low-risk group. In 88% of the cases, the pregnancy was tubal ectopic, with 58.5% in the right fallopian tube. History of amenorrhea and lower abdominal pain with tenderness were the presenting features in 95% of the cases, while vaginal bleeding was reported by 50%. Vaginal examination is singled out as of poor diagnostic value, and laparoscopy is found to be the best diagnostic procedure. The pertinent medical literature is reviewed. The clinical presentation of ectopic pregnancy is explored in this study along with the most constant predisposing factors among Saudi women. The medical records of 68 cases of suspected ectopic pregnancies were reviewed. Only 45 of the 68 cases, those that were finally diagnosed as ectopic pregnancies, constitute the basis of this study. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 1:742 pregnancies. 39 of the 45 patients with ectopic pregnancies were para 1-5; only 1 and 5 patients were reported to be nulliparous and grandmultipara, respectively. 27 of the 45 cases were 20-30 years of age. Between 40% and 45% of the 45 patients had positive histories of pelvic infection, abdominal or pelvic surgery, or infertility. 1 case each of an IUD in situ and of a recurrent ectopic pregnancy were reported. Amenorrhea with lower abdominal pain and tenderness were the most constant features of ectopic pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding was present in about 51% of the cases; fainting attacks and shoulder tip pains were late manifestations. Duration of amenorrhea was 6-8 weeks in about 63% of the cases; 36% had amenorrhea lasting 12-16 weeks. Only 1 patient presented with amenorrhea of longer duration (20 weeks), and she proved to have a cervical pregnancy. Laparoscopy was the only reliable diagnostic procedure. In all cases of clinically suspected hemoperitoneum, laparotomy was performed as a mandatory procedure. Pelvic examinations performed with the patient under anesthesia and also culdocentesis were both unreliable and inconclusive as diagnostic measures. Of the 40 cases of tubal ectopic pregnancy seen at laparotomy, 21 had already ruptured, 15 were still intact and 4 were cases of tubal abortion. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is modified by age, parity, race, socioeconomic factors, sexual habits, contraceptive used and pelvic infection. The part played by 1 or more of those factors is unknown but definitely variable. In this study there were 40 tubal (88.8%), 1 cervical (2.2%), and 2 ovarian pregnancies (4.4%).
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]