Initial tests may be culdocentesis, hematocrit, a pregnancy test, a qualitative HCG blood test, a transvaginal ultrasound or pregnancy ultrasound and a white blood count test. An ectopic pregnancy can be distinguished from a normal intrauterine pregnancy through a rise in quantitative HCG levels. Declining B-hCG levels is indicative of an ectopic pregnancy (Kulp & Barnhart 2008). AD & C, laparoscopy and laparotomy tests will confirm the diagnosis (Chen).

An early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy with transvaginal ultrasound scan or TVS provides the clinician with conservative options (Madani 2008). Methotrexate may be prescribed if the ectopic pregnancy is small. TVS also reduces chances of mortality. Laparoscopy can be reserved for use as treatment rather than for diagnosis (Madani).

Differential diagnosis includes appendicitis, salpingitis, ruptured corpus luteum cyst, or ovarian follicle, spontaneous or threatened abortion, ovarian torsion, and urinary tract disease (Sepilian & Wood 2009).

Treatment

An ectopic pregnancy can neither...
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