Abstract
Author(s): Ahmed Alanwar*, Waleed M Khalaf, Marwa A Salem and Ibrahim Ali
Objectives: To assess the changes in serum beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-hCG) between days 0 and 4 to predict the outcome of methotrexate therapy in ectopic pregnancy.
Methodology: Retrospective descriptive research was performed at the Armed Forces Hospitals of the Southern Region's obstetrics and gynecology department, KSA. Analysis of day 4 β-hCG levels in 198 patients diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy and treated with a single intramuscular dose of methotrexate (50 mg/m2) from January 2015 till January 2020.
Results: Day 4 serum β-hCG dropped in 120 patients (60.6% of cases), and the success of treatment was achieved in 88.3% of these cases without any further management. Day 4 β-hCG increased in 78 patients (39.4% of cases), only 47.4% of these cases had a success of treatment.
Conclusion: The drop of day 4 serum β-hCG after methotrexate therapy of ectopic pregnancy is a good predictor of treatment success.