Subsequent pregnancy outcomes among women with tubal ectopic pregnancy treated with methotrexate

Abstract

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when an embryo implants outside of the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. When detected early, treatment is often with a medication called methotrexate. When methotrexate does not work, surgery is required. A recent clinical trial of ectopic pregnancy treatment (called GEM3) found that adding a drug called gefitinib to methotrexate did not reduce the need for surgery. We have used data from the GEM3 trial, combined with data collected 12 months after the trial finished, to investigate post-methotrexate pregnancy outcomes. We found no difference in pregnancy rates, pregnancy loss rates and recurrent ectopic pregnancy rates between those treated medically only and those who subsequently also needed surgery. The surgical technique used also did not affect pregnancy rates. This research provides reassurance that women with ectopic pregnancies treated medically who need surgery have similar post-treatment pregnancy outcomes to those treated successfully medically.