Conservative treatment of ectopic pregnancies using a single echo-guided injection of methotrexate into the gestational sac

Abstract

The authors describe the possibility of the conservative treatment of five early ectopic pregnancies. A single injection of methotrexate into the tubal gestational sac was performed under vaginal ultrasound guidance. In all five cases, a clear ectopic gestational sac could be visualized. The pregnancies dated from the 5th to the 7th week of amenorrhea. Strict ultrasound follow-up following injection showed a gradual reduction in the size of the tubal gestational sac. At the same time, plasma beta-hCG gradually decreased to zero after a maximum time period of 25 days. Subsequent hysterosalpingography performed on all of the women demonstrated bilateral normal patent tubes. It is concluded that, in selected patients, transvaginal injection provides an alternative relatively non-invasive approach to the management of ectopic pregnancy. It is proposed that the adoption of a policy of earlier diagnosis and treatment may lead to a reduction in the incidence of some tubal causes of infertility.