A review of 33 years (1980-2013) of data indicating a rise in ectopic pregnancy in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: To assess the trend in ectopic pregnancy (EP) at a single center in Saudi Arabia and to compare the data with those from the rest of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: In a retrospective study, data were analyzed from patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, with a diagnosis of EP between January 2011 and December 2013. The prevalence of EP was calculated as a percentage of the number of live births during the study period. A 30-year review of publications on EP in Saudi Arabia was done via search engines.

Results: During the study period, there were 58 EPs among 3818 deliveries, giving an overall incidence of 1.5% at the study center; the incidence of EP in the rest of the country during this period was 0.5%. Between 2002 and 2004, the country's incidence was 0.6% as compared with 1% at the study center.

Conclusion: The incidence of EP in Saudi Arabia has increased in the past few decades.

Keywords: Ectopic pregnancy; Saudi Arabia.