[Update on Current Care Guidelines: Ectopic pregnancy]

Duodecim. 2015;131(1):90-1.
[Article in Finnish]

Abstract

Ectopic pregnancy should be suspected it a woman of fertile age has lower abdominal pain and irregular vaginal bleeding. Symptoms range from almost none to shock. The diagnosis is based on a quantitative serum pregnancy test (hCG) and transvaginal ultrasound. An acute situation requires emergency surgery, whereas patients with mild symptoms should be treated policlinically by follow-up or a single intramuscular dose (1 mg/kg) of methotrexate. No folic acid supplementation is needed. In later pregnancies their location should be verified by transvaginal ultrasound done by the seventh gestational week at the latest.

Publication types

  • Practice Guideline

MeSH terms

  • Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / administration & dosage*
  • Acute Disease
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy, Ectopic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pregnancy, Ectopic / drug therapy*
  • Risk Factors
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal
  • Methotrexate