Success rate of methotrexate in the conservative treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancies

Grigoriu,Corina; Bohiltea,Roxana Elena; Mihai,Bianca Margareta; Zugravu,Corina Aurelia; Furtunescu,Florentina; Georgescu,Tiberiu Augustin; Munteanu,Diana Ionela

doi:10.3892/etm.2021.11073

Success rate of methotrexate in the conservative treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancies

Authors:
- Corina Grigoriu
- Roxana Elena Bohiltea
- Bianca Margareta Mihai
- Corina Aurelia Zugravu
- Florentina Furtunescu
- Tiberiu Augustin Georgescu
- Diana Ionela Munteanu
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Affiliations: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, 050098 Bucharest, Romania, Department of Food Hygiene and Nutrition, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050463 Bucharest, Romania, Department of Public Health and Management, Faculty of Medicine, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050463 Bucharest, Romania, Department of Pathology, ‘Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050463 Bucharest, Romania, Department of Medical Expertise and Work Capacity Recovery, National Institute of Medical Expertise and Work Capacity Recovery, 050653 Bucharest, Romania
Published online on: December 16, 2021 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.11073
Article Number: 150

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Abstract

An ectopic pregnancy (EP) involves the implantation of the gestational sac outside the uterine cavity. In the event of diagnosing an EP, the current medical approach is to avoid surgery and to preserve fertility whenever possible; therefore, methotrexate (MTX)‑based therapy has become prominent in recent years. MTX, a drug usually used to treat severe forms of autoimmune diseases and several types of cancer, has proven its utility in the conservative treatment of EPs. The success rate of MTX correlates with lower values of β subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (β‑hCG) serum levels, especially below 2,000 mUI/ml, side effects being insignificant. In the present study, the results obtained concerning the success rate of MTX in the conservative treatment of EPs were obtained at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital from January 2014 to December 2020. The aim of the present study was to highlight the necessity for revising current guidelines for ectopic pregnancy medical treatment in order to manage this pathology optimally and to select carefully the proper treatment, whether medical, surgical or expectant management, so that morbidity is reduced to a minimum.

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