The effect of ultrasonography in predicting medical treatment success in ectopic pregnancy

Abstract

Ectopic pregnancy(EP) treatment success in a single dose methotrexate(MTX) regimen is decided by more than 15% β chorionic gonadotropin reduction in the 4th and 7th days after administration of 50mg/m² of medication. In our study , it was aimed whether the EP mass size less than 40mm detected by ultrasonography and the adnexal side on which it was located had an effect on the success of medical treatment.
 82 patients who treated with MTX included in the study were divided into two groups as those with a single dose of methotrexate success and those without (n:67 vs n:15). The groups were compared in terms of age, parity, size of adnexal mass detected on ultrasonography, and the side of ectopic pregnancy.
 The parity rates and the age of patients were similar in both groups(p = 0.615, p = 0.742). Although the average adnexal mass size was found to be higher in the patient group those single dose MTX treatment was not successful, there was no statistically significant difference(p = 0.098). Ectopic pregnancy was frequently observed on the right side in the group in which the medical treatment was successful(66 % vs 33%).
 The effect of ectopic pregnancy mass size on medical treatment prediction was investigated in cases with mass size less than 40mm. Ectopic pregnancy mass size, even if it is below 40 mm, may not indicate the medical treatment success.