Culdocentesis is an obsolete diagnostic tool in suspected ectopic pregnancy.

We studied 332 patients with proven pregnancies. Prediction of hemoperitoneum by assessment of the Douglas pouch during bimanual examination had a false negative rate of 42.1%. The false negative rate for culdocentesis was 14.8%. It is therefore concluded that culdocentesis is not a useful tool in the diagnosis of suspected ectopic pregnancies.