Medical treatment of ectopic pregnancy using parental methotrexate

West Afr J Med. 2001 Jul-Sep;20(3):181-3.

Abstract

Between January and December 1999, we were able to diagnose five cases of unruptured ectopic pregnancy, using a transabdominal convex sector transducer. All the five patients presented with lower abdominal pains but were in stable clinical state. They were treated with two doses of 50mg methotrexate intravenously, 48 hours apart. Four of the patients had clinical, immunological, and sonographic evidence of resolution. The only failure was in the patient whose gestation sac was 4.8cm in its maximal diameter. She eventually had laparotomy and salpingectomy.

MeSH terms

  • Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy, Ectopic / diagnostic imaging
  • Pregnancy, Ectopic / drug therapy*
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal
  • Methotrexate