ABSTRACT
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To identify racial and socioeconomic disparities in the surgical management of ectopic pregnancy. DESIGN: Retrospective study. The National Inpatient Sample was sampled from 2015 to 2017 for inpatient hospitalizations for ectopic pregnancy. Cohorts were identified by surgical treatment type-open procedure vs laparoscopic procedure. Race/ethnicity, primary payer status, and median household income were primary variables of interest. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted. SETTING: Nationwide inpatient analysis. PATIENTS: Women presenting for ectopic pregnancy treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Type of surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Outcome measures were laparotomy vs laparoscopy for treatment. A total of 18 725 cases were identified, 8325 open and 10 400 laparoscopic. Hispanic women were more likely to receive open procedures as treatment for ectopic pregnancy than White women (odds ratio 1.226, p <.001). Women with private insurance were more likely to receive open procedures than women who used self-pay for treatment (odds ratio 0.809, p <.001). Women of lower median income status, <$60 000, were more likely to receive open procedures than women of the fourth quartile income group. Black women predominantly made up the first quartile income group. When controlling for covariates, Black women were not more likely to receive 1 method of surgical procedure over another. CONCLUSION: Income appears to be related to surgical management of ectopic pregnancy with women of lower median incomes receiving laparotomies over laparoscopic procedures. Equal access to healthcare remains a prudent need in communities of color. Further studies are needed to elucidate surgical decision-making in the management of ectopic pregnancy.
