[Heterotopic pregnancy]

The heterotopic pregnancy is a combination of an intra-uterine and extra-uterine pregnancy, at the same time. The spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy is a rare illness with an estimated frequency below one per 20,000 and one per 30,000. The first case was reported in France by Duverney in 1708 during an autopsy. The frequency of this pregnancy has increased with the implementation of assisted reproduction techniques. This paper is the report of a case of spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy seen at the Angeles Mexico Hospital. A 32 year old woman, gravida 1; dilatation and curettage was performed on 13th February because of a blighted ovum, a lot of products of conception were obtained. The patient was discharged the next day only with analgesics. She returns to the emergency room on February 16th with hypovolemic shock and acute abdomen. A normocitic normocromic anemia was found on the hematic biometry, the transvaginal ultrasound reported amount of blood in the cul-de-sac, echogenic adnexal mass, suggesting a gestational sac with embryo. An emergency laparotomy was used to perform a left cornual resection; the findings were 600 cc of hemoperitoneum and a left ruptured ectopic pregnancy. She had an uneventful postoperative course, and was discharged 72 hours later without complications. Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare illness and must always be considered for the increase in pregnancy related with assisted reproduction techniques, although, it should be considered in a spontaneous pregnancy too.