Etymed
ectopic pregnancy
Definition
A pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity, most commonly in the fallopian tube
Clinical context
A 28-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with complaints of right lower quadrant abdominal pain and light vaginal bleeding. She has a positive home pregnancy test and reports missing her last menstrual period by 6 weeks. On examination, she has tenderness in the right lower quadrant with a positive pregnancy test. Ultrasound reveals no gestational sac in the uterus but a mass in the right fallopian tube. The patient is diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy and requires immediate surgical intervention to prevent tubal rupture.
Mnemonic
ETOPIC - Ectopic = 'E' outside, T = Tubal, O = Ovary, P = Peritoneal, I = Isthmus, C = Cervical