The diagnosis and management of interstitial ectopic pregnancies: a review

Abstract

The objective of this article is to review the published literature on the diagnosis and management of interstitial pregnancies (IPs). IPs account for 2–6% of all ectopic pregnancies and have the potential to cause life-threatening haemorrhage resulting in a 2–5% mortality rate. There is little consensus on the best practice for diagnosing and managing interstitial pregnancies. By reviewing the published data, we set out to determine what the best evidence-based practice for the management of interstitial ectopic pregnancies is, what protocols can be used and whether this improves post-operative outcomes and future fertility rates.