ECTOPIC PREGNANCY IN A DEFINED SAUDI POPULATION

Cases of ectopic pregnancies clinically and histopathologically confir med and managed in the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) over a f ive year period are presented. With a prevalence rate of 6.9 per 1000 deliveries, ectopic pregnancy was depicted as not so common in this re gion of the world, although there has been a rising trend of the condi tion over the years. Of the risk factors, infertility treatment (19.7% ), use of IUCD (10.9%), PID (8.7%) and chlamydia infections (2.9%) wer e found to be associated. However, there may be a need for nationally based as well as case controlled studies to evaluate the risk factors in this major gynecological catastrophy which is often associated with a high maternal morbidity and mortality, pregnancy wastage and impair ment of fertility.