Tubal ectopic pregnancy after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: a role for proximal occlusion or salpingectomy after failed distal tubal surgery?

OBJECTIVE

To assess predisposing factors to tubal pregnancy after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of 891 ET cycles.

SETTING

University-based IVF program.

PATIENTS,

PARTICIPANTS

All ET cycles performed in the study period were included; the indication for IVF was tubal factor in 640 (72%) and other (nontubal) factors in 251 (28%) cycles.

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Observing a higher than expected number of tubal pregnancies in our program; we examined subgroups to determine those at highest risk.

RESULTS

Tubal pregnancies comprised 12% of clinical pregnancies in the tubal factor group but only 2.6% in the cycles nontubal factor group (P less than 0.05). Of 640 ET cycles in the tubal factor group, 359 were performed in patients who had prior tubal reconstructive surgery; tubal pregnancies comprised 15.6% of the clinical gestations in this subgroup. In the remainder of the tubal factor group (no prior tubal surgery), 281 ET cycles yielded a tubal pregnancy rate of only 5.5% (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with prior reconstructive surgery for distal tubal disease are at highest risk of developing tubal pregnancy after IVF.