Ruptured heterotopic pregnancy and subsequent vaginal delivery at term

Abstract

Background: Heterotopic pregnancy is the co- existence of intrauterine and extrauterine gestation at the same time. The condition is life threatening when the ectopic pregnancy ruptures and it is unrecognized.
Objective: To report the first successfully managed case of heterotopic pregnancy in a woman without obvious risk factors in our centre.
Design: Case report.
Setting: University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt.
Result: A multiparous 30 - year old lady who had heterotopic pregnancy with natural conception and salpingectomy for the ruptured ectopic component delivered a live baby at term . Management of the ectopic pregnancy with viable intrauterine pregnancy delivered at term.
Conclusion: Heterotopic pregnancy though rare, is possible in our women without known risk factors. Medical practitioners should have a high index of suspicion when a parous woman presents with lower abdominal pain in the first trimester of pregnancy.


Port Harcourt Medical Journal Vol. 1 (3) 2007: pp. 201-203