Miscarriage and Ectopic Pregnancy

Ruptured Accessory Fallopian Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy

Pregnancy in the broad ligament is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy, and one type of abdominal pregnancy. The diagnosis is seldom established before surgery. A 38-year-old, 11-week pregnant woman, gravida 3, para 2, presented with vaginal bleeding. She had undergone two cesarean sections 10 and 6 years earlier. Pregnancy in the right broad ligament was diagnosed from clinical and transvaginal ultrasonographic findings. Emergency laparotomy and excision of a pregnancy in the right broad ligament and right salpingectomy were performed. She was well at discharge and at the 6-week follow up. We suggest the use of clinical and ultrasonographic findings for the suspicion of pregnancy in the broad ligament.

What are the surgical, pharmacological or conservative treatment options for abdominal pregnancy?

The incidence of ectopic pregnancies has increased significantly in the region around Oulu Finland from 10.9-20.9 between 1973-1982. Increased use of IUDs and a comparable increase in the percentage of 2-paras correlated with the increase in ectopic pregnancies in Oulu. A Finnish researcher examined retrospective and prospective age and parity matched case control studies among 552 women with ectopic pregnancy and a follow up study of infertile women to determine the risk factors for ectopic pregnancy. Previous pelvic surgery particularly tubal surgery and treatment of an earlier ectopic pregnancy; entry of the uterine cavity with medical instruments; gynecological infections; infertility; and an IUD were significant risk factors for ectopic pregnancy. For those women who had suffered an ectopic pregnancy and were infertile the risk factors included ectopic pregnancy; tubal surgery especially surgical restoration of a Fallopian tube and working in industry. The study could not determine reasons nulliparous women experienced and ectopic pregnancy. Infertile women who had pelvic infections tubal surgery and/or an earlier ectopic pregnancy had a high risk of ectopic pregnancy. 70% of the ectopic pregnancy patients underwent a salpingectomy. Of the 323 women who wished to conceive again the conception rate was 82% delivery rate 64% and recurrent ectopic pregnancy rate 11%. The operation method was not as an important predictor of subsequent fertility as were condition of the tube and parity. Research is needed to identify risk factors for ectopic pregnancy for nulliparous women. Physicians should consider any woman who is infertile and had a previous ectopic pregnancy tubal surgery and works in industry to be at high risk for ectopic pregnancy and use modern diagnostic tools to distinguish between ectopic and intrauterine pregnancy during the 5th week of amenorrhea. As for fertile and parous women with an IUD in situ they should consider an ectopic pregnancy if pain and bleeding develops.

An investigation of possible seasonal patterns in ectopic tubal pregnancies was conducted. The computer data utilized were based on all ectopic pregnancies, abortions and deliveries (total pregnancies) recorded in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Israel, between the years 1986 and 1989. Composite monthly cohorts of ectopic tubal pregnancies and total pregnancies were constructed for each month of the year, and the probability of an ectopic pregnancy was estimated. A statistically significant increase in the probability of conception rate resulted in ectopic pregnancies which occurred during winter and spring, especially in January to June. The probability of ectopic tubal pregnancies was low (0.50%) in September and high (1.81-1.42%) in December to January. When we studied primigravidae, the same seasonal pattern was observed. The findings of our study suggest, for the first time, that there is an association between meteorological and environmental factors, and ectopic pregnancies. These factors should be considered in the epidemiology of ectopic tubal pregnancies.

Subsequent development and implantation of embryo outside the uterine lining are defined as an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies have a wide range of presentations, for example, acute hemoperitoneum to chronic ectopic pregnancy. The case presented is an unusual case of ectopic pregnancy with large hematosalpinx with classic symptoms. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this case is the largest intact tubal ectopic pregnancy reported ever in the 14th week of gestation. A 40-year-old patient presented to the emergency department with lower abdominal pain, mild dysuria, and loose motion. The patient's previous menstrual cycles were regular till four months ago, then started to be irregular, and she had no history of chronic diseases except repeated pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID). Clinically, the patient was hemodynamically stable. On palpation, the abdomen was tender, and cervical movements were not tender. BHCG in the blood came very high. The bedside point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) showed free fluid in the abdomen and a sac in the left adnexa with a living fetus (visible heartbeats). The conventional ultrasound showed 14 weeks of an extrauterine gestational sac with visible early pregnancy. Differential diagnosis was either an abdominal pregnancy versus a complicated tubal pregnancy. The surgical pathology report confirmed the diagnosis of ectopic tubal pregnancy as the tube was dilated in the middle portion containing chorionic villi, decidual reaction, and the whole gestational sac consistent with the ectopic tubal pregnancy. The patient had a successful laparotomy with salpingectomy and hemostasis and did well after the operation. So, an intact ectopic tubal pregnancy may last until the 14th week of gestation.

Is there a molecular link between Wnt signaling in fallopian tube inflammation and ectopic tubal implantation? Enhanced beta-catenin expression, reduced E-cadherin expression and glycogen accumulation in the tubal epithelia and hyperplasia in tubal arteries were found in ectopic tubal pregnancy, consistent with the effects induced by Wnt signaling and inflammation. Chronic inflammation caused by infection can alter gene expression in the fallopian tube cells possibly leading to the development of ectopic pregnancy. Knockout mouse models have shown a relationship between Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and predisposition to tubal ectopic pregnancy. Women with ectopic tubal pregnancy (n = 18) were included in the case group, while women with chronic salpingitis (n = 13) and non-pregnant women undergoing sterilization procedures or salpingectomy for benign uterine disease (n = 10) were set as the controls. This study was performed between January 2012 and November 2012. The ampullary segments of fallopian tubes were collected from patients. Tissues of tubal pregnancy were separated into implantation sites and non-implantation sites. Beta-catenin and E-cadherin expression were determined using immunohistological and immunofluorescence staining. Glycogen production was measured with periodic acid Schiff by staining. The diameter and wall thickness of tubal arteries were evaluated by histological analysis method. Immunohistological staining revealed that beta-catenin protein expression was 100% positive in the ectopic pregnant and inflamed tubal tissues, and the staining intensity was significantly higher than in non-pregnant tubal tissues. In contrast, E-cadherin expression was reduced in ectopic pregnant fallopian tubes, possibly as a consequence of increased Wnt signaling. Moreover, glycogen accumulated in the tubal cells, and hyperplasia was observed in the tubal arteries with ectopic pregnancy, which is consistent with the effects induced by Wnt signaling and inflammation. All these changes could create the permissive environment that promotes embryos to ectopically implant into the fallopian tube. This finding requires a further confirmation about what activates Wnt signaling in ectopic tubal pregnancies. Also, it is generally recognized that Chlamydia infection is associated with ectopic pregnancy, and disturbs tubal epithelia via the Wnt signaling. However, the infection type in the samples used was salpingitis. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms leading to ectopic pregnancies may contribute to our knowledge of the pathogenesis of tubal disorders and infertility and to the prevention of tubal ectopic pregnancy.

Effects of salpingectomy on ovarian response in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization: a reappraisal

Background: Ectopic pregnancy mainly refers to tubal pregnancy and abdominal pregnancy. Tubal pregnancy presents as an implanted embryo that develops in the fallopian tubes, and is relatively common in humans. In animals, tubal pregnancy occurs primarily in primates, for example monkeys. The probability of a tubal pregnancy in non-primate animals is extremely low. Abdominal pregnancy is a type of ectopic pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus, fallopian tube, ovary, and ligament(broad ligament, ovarian ligament, suspensory ligament).This paper describes two cases of ectopic pregnancy in cats.Cases: Cat 1. The presenting sign was a significant increase in abdominal circumference. The age and immune and sterilization status of the cat were unknown. On palpation, a 4 cm, rough, oval-shaped, hard mass was found in the posterior abdomen. Radiographic examination showed three high-density images in the posterior abdomen. The fetus was significantlycalcified and some feces was evident in the colon. The condition was preliminarily diagnosed as ectopic pregnancy. Cat 2. The owner of a 2-year-old British shorthair cat visited us because of a hard lump in the cat’s abdomen. The cat had a normal diet and was drinking normally. Routine immunization and insect repulsion had been implemented. The cat had naturally delivered five healthy kittens two months previous. Radiographs showed an oval-shaped mass with a clear edge in the middle abdominal cavity. Other examinations were normal. The case was preliminarily diagnosed as ectopic pregnancy, and the pregnancy was surgically terminated. The ectopic pregnancies were surgically terminated. During surgery, the structures of the uterus and ovary of cat 1 were found to be intact and the organs were in a normal physiological position.Cat 1 was diagnosed with primary abdominal pregnancy. In cat 2, the uterus left side was small and the fallopian tube on the same side was both enlarged and longer than normal. Immature fetuses were found in the gestational sac. Thus, cat 2 was diagnosed with tubal ectopic pregnancy based on the presenting pathology.Discussion: Cats with ectopic pregnancies generally show no obvious clinical symptoms. The ectopic fetus can remain within the body for several months or even years. Occasionally, necrotic ectopic tissues or mechanical stimulation of the ectopic fetus can lead to a systemic inflammatory response, loss of appetite, and apathy. The two cats in our reportshowed no significant clinical symptoms. To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of the development of an ectopic fetus to maturity, within the abdominal cavity of felines, because the placenta of cats cannot support the growth and development of the fetus outside of the uterus. Secondary abdominal ectopic pregnancy, lacking any signs of uterine rupture is likely associated with the strong regenerative ability of uterine muscles. A damaged uterus or fallopian tube can quickly recover and rarely leaves scar tissue. In the present report, cat 1 showed no apparent scar tissue, nor signs of a ruptured ovary or fallopian tubes. It was diagnosed with primary ectopic abdominal pregnancy, which could arise from the descent of the fertilized egg from the fallopian tube into the abdominal cavity. There was an abnormal protrusion in left of the fallopian tubes in cat 2, to which the gestational sac was directly connected. Based on pathological examination of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and gestational sac, the cat was diagnosed with a tubal pregnancy. Placental tissues and signs of fetal calcification were observed in both the fallopian tube and gestational sac.Keywords: tubal pregnancy, abdominal pregnancy, feline, ectopic fetus, fallopian tube, gestational sac.

The Case Files

The implantation of trophoblast cells at extrauterine sites still results in decidualization. The objective of the present study was to compare decidualization at eutopic and ectopic implantation sites. Tissues from women undergoing elective termination of uterine pregnancy and from women with ectopic pregnancy were used to detect the presence of cells important for the maintenance of pregnancy, such as BCL-2+, CD56+, CD3+, CD8+ and CD68+ cells, and the presence of oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) by immunohistochemistry. In-situ detection of fragmented DNA was performed to identify apoptotic cells. The percentage of CD3+ cells among all immunocompetent cells in the tubal epithelium was 46.6% (39.9% of CD3+ were also CD8+); the other 53.4% were CD68+ cells. CD56+ cells were undetectable in ectopic decidua at the feto-maternal interface in ectopic tissue. In uterine decidua, we found 29.9% CD3+ cells (2.2% of CD3+ were CD8+), 51.6% CD56+ cells and 18.5% CD68+ cells. The ratio of BCL2+ to CD3+ cells in ectopic pregnancy was 0.41. In uterine pregnancy, the ratio of BCL-2 to CD3 was 0.44 and 0.39 for CD56. Tissues from both ectopic and uterine pregnancies were positive for PR. Fewer apoptotic cell bodies were present in ectopic pregnancy. The use of tissue obtained from ectopic pregnancy may become an excellent model to identify the mechanism of trophoblast invasion in eutopic pregnancies.

Background: Ectopic pregnancies constitute about 2% of all pregnancies which are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths and a considerable cause of maternal morbidity. Oxidative stress can lead to a number of pregnancy related diseases including miscarriage, eclampsia and preterm labor. Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) which reflects the oxidative stress may be used as a marker for ectopic pregnancy. Our aim was to compare the levels of IMA and total antioxidant status (TAS) in ectopic and normal pregnancies and to understand if IMA can be used as a marker to diagnose ectopic pregnancy.Materials and methods: Our case–control study consisted of 38 women with ectopic and 42 women with normal pregnancy. IMA and TAS levels were determined in serum samples with an albumin–cobalt binding test and by commercially available kits, respectively. IMA levels were adjusted according to serum albumin levels. Index of oxidation (IOS) was calculated by dividing adjusted IMA (A-IMA) levels with TAS. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was made and cut-off values for the biomarkers were investigated in SPSS 21.0 program (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation and a p value < .05 was accepted as statistically significant.Results: There was a statistically significant difference in IMA, A-IMA, and IOS levels between ectopic and normal pregnancies. Although TAS level was not different statistically, it was lower in ectopic pregnancy. According to ROC curve analysis, IOS had the largest area under curve. A cut-off value of 0.545 for IOS had 81.6% sensitivity and 59.5% specificity.Conclusions: According to our study, oxidative stress plays an important role in ectopic pregnancy and either A-IMA or IOS can be evaluated as a marker of ectopic pregnancy after further studies.

8852 Incidence and Risk Factors of Tubal Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy: An Analysis Based on 10-Year Experience in Our Tertiary Medical Center

The increased level of Tspan5 in villi suggests more proliferation and invasiveness of trophoblasts in tubal pregnancy

Contralateral Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy after Ovulation of Another Side Ovary in Spontaneous Cycles: A Case Report and Review of the Literature