Medical management of the patient with an ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancies are the leading cause of pregnancy-related death during the first trimester. Historically, the treatment for an ectopic pregnancy was emergency laparotomy, which included salpingectomy. In 1987, research began at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, examining early detection and medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy. Pharmacologic management of an unruptured, size-appropriate ectopic pregnancy is now an established standard of care. The present protocol recommends single-dose methotrexate. This form of methotrexate has proven to be a successful, cost-effective alternative to traditional surgical management of ectopic pregnancies.