[Incidence of ectopic pregnancy in Beijing area]

The incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) was studied through the 3 level monitoring network of maternal and child health care (MCH) in the whole Beijing area, including 82 hospitals, 19 MCH centers and 2 institutes for family planning. 1,420 cases of EP were collected in a sample of 2.7 million women of reproductive age (15-49) during one year period from January 1 to December 31 1990. The cases were confirmed by pathological examination or laparoscopy, and method of epidemiological surveillance was used. The results showed that the overall incidence of EP was 0.52 per thousand women of reproductive age in Beijing area, 0.60/1,000 in urban districts and 0.41/1,000 in rural area; 0.67/1,000 in married women, and 0.05/1,000 in the unmarried; for married women the incidence was 0.54/1,000 in women using various contraceptive measures and 1.80/1,000 in women using no contraceptive methods, while women after sterilization had the lowest incidence (0.18/1,000) and women using natural contraceptive measures (rhythm or withdrawal method) had the highest (2.43/1,000). It was 0.65/1,000 in IUD users, 0.21/1,000 in OC users and 0.57/1,000 in couples using condom or spermicides. The ratio of EP to delivery was 1:90 or 11.41/1,000 delivery.