Ectopic pregnancy management and higher risk sexual behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic at a safety net hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To compare differences in the management and outcomes of ectopic pregnancy (EP) in an urban population before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of 188 patients aged >18 years who presented with an EP to Boston Medical Center (BMC) between March 2019 and March 2021 was performed. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from medical records. Patients were stratified into 'pre-COVID' and 'intra-COVID' groups. Differences in patient characteristics, presentation, and management between the groups were evaluated.

RESULTS

There were 95 patients in the pre-COVID group and 93 in the intra-COVID group. Overall, there was little difference in age, socio-demographics, presenting symptoms, management, or outcomes, across groups. However, patients presenting intra-COVID were more likely to have a prior history of STIs (difference in proportion +0.14 (95 % CI 0.02, 0.25), report current alcohol use (+0.14 (95 % CI 0.02, 0.25)), and current recreational drug use (+0.11 (95 % CI 0.01, 0.20)). Time from decision for surgery to start of operation (+49.3 min, (95 % CI -62.5, 161.1)) and estimated blood loss (EBL) (+12.9 mL (95 % CI -13.0, 38.8)) was greater for the intra-COVID group.

CONCLUSION

The observed increase in EBL from EPs managed surgically and in "decision-to-incision" time in the intra-COVID group may be explained by cumbersome personal protective equipment protocols and turnaround time for required COVID-19 PCR testing. The higher prevalence of STIs among intra-COVID patients may reflect increased unwanted sexual activity or reduced access to barrier protection among socioeconomically disadvantaged patients.