Fertility Outcome after Treatment of Ectopic Pregnancy

Lee, Yong Ho; Kim, Sun Haeng

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
It is generally accepted that ectopic pregnancy (EP) may adversely affected on the female fertility. However, it is not fully understood how it influences on the future fertility after treatment of an EP, so we intended to evaluate its effects,
METHODS
This study was undertaken on 473 patients with clinically and pathologically proven diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Anam Hospital, Kroea University Medical College hom Jan. 1, 1989 to Aug. 31, 1996.
RESULTS
The incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 1 in 19.6 deliveries (5.1%). The overall spontaneous conception rate after treatment of ectopic pregnancy was 67.4%, and among them, the rate of intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) and repeat ectopic pregnancy (rEP) was 56.3% and 11.1% respectively. The occurrance rate of infertiity after treatment of EP was 32.6%. The mean time to IUP after treatment of EP was 16.5 months, and 79.0% of all IUP were conceived within 2 years after treatment. The mean time to repeat ectopic pregnancy was 15.9 months. With increasing maternal age, IUP rate was decreased and rEP rate was increased but they were statistically not signiTicant. Repeat EP rate was also increased in multiparous women but it was also statistically not significant. Overall PR (IUP and rEP) was decreased in women who have organic lesions (adhesions, endometriosis, PID etc.) in pelvic cavity(p=0.003). Patients who were treated with conservative surgery achieved a lower conception rate without statistical significance and it may be due to low cases.
CONCLUSION
Future fertility rate was not significantly altered by EP itself, but rather affected by patient's age, organic lesions and previous history of pelvic surgery. Recently, the advent of assisted reproductive technology and its associated techniques improved the female fertility in women with such a problem.