P51 Characterising risk factors in confirmed ectopic pregnancy admissions: a retrospective multicentre pilot observational study
Year: 2026
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Introduction Ectopic pregnancy (EP), implantation outside the endometrial cavity, remains an important pregnancy-related cause of morbidity and mortality. National surveillance data suggest EP admission rates in England increased from 88.9 to 95.8 per 100,000 between 2022/23 and 2023/24. This pilot study aimed to describe characteristics and documented risk factors among confirmed EP admissions and assess feasibility of standardised multicentre data collection for a larger national study. Methodology A retrospective multicentre observational study was conducted across nine sites. Sites identified the first 10 or 20 confirmed EP admissions in 2024; pregnancies of unknown location were excluded. Anonymised clinical data were extracted using a standardised spreadsheet. Variables included demographics, reproductive history, previous sexually transmitted infection (STI) or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), contraception at conception, EP location, STI screening, management outcome, and planned contraception on discharge. Some sites additionally recorded smoking, endometriosis, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) conception. Results A total of 110 confirmed EP admissions were included. Most patients were aged >25 years (87%); 10% had a previous EP and 17% had previous caesarean section. Most EPs were tubal (91%). No contraception at conception was documented in 84%. Intrauterine contraception (IUC) use was documented in 5%, comprising 3% with a 52 mg levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUD), 2% with a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD), and 1% with a 19.5 mg LNG-IUD. Planned contraception at discharge was documented in 14%, suggesting missed contraceptive counselling opportunities. PID history was unrecorded in 60%; STI screening was documented in 15%, with all results negative. Conclusions Standardised multicentre EP data collection is feasible. Incomplete documentation of PID history, STI screening, contraception at conception and at discharge, and reproductive risk factors was a key finding, supporting the design of a standardised dataset for a larger national study investigating contributors to rising EP admissions.
Institutions: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, University of Oxford, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Kingston Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7214724060