ABSTRACT
This study was conducted with an overall aim of describing the pattern of ectopic pregnancy at Al-Wahda Teaching Hospital. For the period from January 1[st], 2004 to December 31[st], 2005, 52 patients with ectopic pregnancy were studied. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy at ATH was 5.4 per 1000 live births The common age affected is the age group 20-39 years [90.4%]. Parous women [92.3%] were affected more than nulliparous [7.7%]. Gynecological and obstetric history were negative in 26.9% and 51.9% respectively. Among the marked risk factors, in this study, were previous abortion [40.3%], pelvic inflammatory disease [25.0%], previous dilation and curettage [21.2%] and infertility [13.4%]. On presentation, the dominant feature was lower abdominal pain seen in all patients, followed by vaginal bleeding [73.1%], missed period [65.4%] and abdominal tenderness in [78.8%]. The diagnostic methods used include urine pregnancy test, which was positive in 97.0%, serum beta-hCG, which was<2000 mIU/mI in 61.5%, and abdominal ultrasound was dominantly used [90.9%] in this study than transvaginal ultrasound [9.1%]. Douglas puncture was positive in 8 1.8%. Surgical treatment was the only mode of management used in this hospital. Preoperative hemoglobin concentration of<11 g% was seen in 96.1% and blood transfused to 92.3% of patients. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 10,0 +/- 6.4 days. No maternal complications and no maternal death were attributed to ectopic pregnancy during the period of this study. This study concludes that ectopic pregnancy, the suspect of doctors, could be present in any woman in the reproductive age presented with vague abdominal pain, regardless the presence of missed period or vaginal bleeding and even the absence of risk factors is the main step to diagnose the ectopic pregnancy