Why the first pregnancy results with ectopic location? A retrospective analysis to identify the potential risk factors

Abstract

Aim: To identify potential risk factors associated with ectopic pregnancy (EP) in healthy primigravid women.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary research hospital, involving primigravid patients diagnosed with EP between 2016 and 2023. The control group comprised primigravid women with healthy term birth (HB). Demographic parameters, including age, body mass index (BMI), fertility status, menstrual pattern, systemic disease presence, surgical history, previous pelvic infection were documented and compared between two groups. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine significant factors linked to EP.

Results: A total of fifty primigravid women had EP, while the control group included fifty with HB. Women with EP had a significantly higher mean age compared to those with HB (26.5 ±5.2 vs. 21.5 ±2.3, p<0.01). The mean BMI was lower in women with EP compared to those with HB (23.8 ±4.1 vs. 25.9 ±2.5, p<0.01). Irregular menstrual patterns were more prevalent in the EP group than the HB group (28% vs. 12%, p=0.04). The EP group had a higher rate of previous abdominal surgery (8% vs. 2%, p=0.04). The regression analysis indicated that older age and lower BMI were significant risk factors associated with the presence of ectopic pregnancy.

Conclusions: EP poses a distressing situation for couples, and predicting the risk of such pregnancies remains challenging. This study highlights that higher age and lower BMI are primary risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in primigravid women.