A review of 33 years (1980-2013) of data indicating a rise in ectopic pregnancy in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective To assess the trend in ectopic pregnancy (EP) at a single center in Saudi Arabia and to compare the data with those from the rest of Saudi Arabia. Methods In a retrospective study, data were analyzed from patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, with a diagnosis of EP between January 2011 and December 2013. The prevalence of EP was calculated as a percentage of the number of live births during the study period. A 30-year review of publications on EP in Saudi Arabia was done via search engines. Results During the study period, there were 58 EPs among 3818 deliveries, giving an overall incidence of 1.5% at the study center; the incidence of EP in the rest of the country during this period was 0.5%. Between 2002 and 2004, the country's incidence was 0.6% as compared with 1% at the study center. Conclusion The incidence of EP in Saudi Arabia has increased in the past few decades.