sequelae and prognosis

Last reviewed 01/2018

Sequelae will vary according to an individual's risk factors and the means of management employed.

Illustrative figures are presented for surgical and medical management:

  • laparoscopic salpingostomy - of 976 patients treated, 94% did not require any additional procedure.
  • systemic methotrexate - of 306 patients treated, 94% did not require any additional therapy.

The risk of ectopic pregnancy reoccurring is

  • around 10% in women with one previous ectopic pregnancy
  • at least 25% in women with two or more previous ectopic pregnancies (1)

According to population based cohort studies done on subsequent pregnancies after an ectopic pregnancy,

  • regardless of the treatment method (surgical or medical), 66% of women conceived after therapy with 90% reporting intrauterine pregnancy and 10% with recurrent ectopic pregnancy
  • around 62-70% intrauterine pregnancies and around 8% recurrent ectopic pregnancies were seen after methotrexate treatment (2)

Although maternal death from ectopic pregnancy has decreased, it is still the leading cause of death in the first trimester (2)

  • in UK there were 10 maternal deaths due to ectopic pregnancy between 2003-2005 (3)

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