Ectopic Pregnancy: Recent Experience in a Tertiary Hospital, South-Southern Nigeria

Objective: To assess the incidence, clinical presentation, management and associated morbidity of ectopic pregnancy in a tertiary health institution in South-southern Nigeria over a 2-year period.

Methods: Hospital-based cohort study were all women with ectopic pregnancy identified at laparotomy were analyzed.

Results: Ectopic pregnancy occurred most frequently in women between the ages of 20 and 34 years. It had its highest incidence among nulliparous women. The incidence declined with increasing parity. 82% of cases were ruptured at presentation and all patients had surgical treatment.

Conclusions: Ectopic pregnancy remains a significant contributor to maternal morbidity especially in the first trimester of pregnancy in this setting. There is the urgent need of public health measures like safe sex, female education and female empowerment aimed at reducing the identified risk factors in our environment.