Pregnancy after failed tubal sterilization

To review the pregnancy outcome in patients with failed tubal sterilization treated in our hospital and to compare the incidence of ectopic pregnancy in our study group with the experience at other military hospitals and with the incidence of ectopic pregnancy in similar patients reported in the literature.

A registry of failed tubal sterilization was started at our hospital in 1989. We entered all information regarding the type of procedure and pregnancy outcome as the patients presented for care. Information on the experience at other military hospitals was obtained through review of data provided by the epidemiology section of the Health Services Command, San Antonio, Texas.

From 1989 to 1991, 12 patients with failed tubal sterilization received care at our hospital. Eight patients (67%) had ectopic pregnancies. Of 137 patients identified through the Health Services Command, 49 (36%) had ectopic pregnancies.

The literature reports a 5-90% incidence of ectopic pregnancy after failed tubal sterilization. The data from our registry and from the Health Services Command corroborate the increased likelihood of ectopic pregnancy in patients with failed tubal sterilization and underscore the need for close follow-up of these patients until the location of the pregnancy is documented.