Cervical ectopic pregnancy. A case series and literature review

Abstract

Objective: To describe a case series of nine patients diagnosed with cervical ectopic pregnancy. Design: Descriptive retrospective study of the clinical records of nine consecutive cases of women diagnosed with cervical pregnancy attended at the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Mexico City. Results: 448 ectopic pregnancies were attended from January 2011 through June 2018. They represented 2.2% of all pregnancies during the period studied. Of these, nine were cervical pregnancies (2% of all ectopic pregnancies). Five of these patients were admitted because of vaginal bleeding. All nine patients were diagnosed with cervical pregnancy by ultrasonography. Eight patients were initially offered pharmacological treatment with resolution of the ectopic pregnancy confirmed by hCG in two patients. Six patients required surgical intervention, and fertility was preserved in five cases. Conclusions: Cervical ectopic pregnancy is a risk factor for extreme maternal morbidity. It can present as an unexpected massive hemorrhage that commonly leads to hysterectomy and even death. Nowadays, there is no universal algorithm for treatment as it is performed in a regional and non-standardized manner, and in many cases, fertility preservation is not contemplated. Prospective studies are needed to issue recommendations on the management of these patients.