Ectopic pregnancy - medical management

- Success rates of 85-94% following single dose treatment

- A transient increase in beta-HCG may occur in up to 86% of women between days 1 and 4 of treatment. 

- Serum beta-HCG should be measured on days 4 and 7. 

- A further dose of methotrexate should be considered if HCG levels fall by less than 15% between days 4 and 7.

- Increase in abdominal pain is reported by 59% of women following methotrexate administration.

- Ipsilateral tubal patency rates following treatment are ~80%

- Among women trying to become pregnant, intra-uterine pregnancy rate = 54% and recurrent ectopic rates = 8-10% - comparable to those following laparoscopic salpingostomy