• Hiroshi Matsushita, Takeshi Takayanagi, and Hirokazu Ikarashi.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tsuruoka Municipal Shonai Hospital, Yamagata, Japan. matsuh@kf7.so-net.ne.jp
• Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2007 Jun 1; 12 (2): 184-6.

BackgroundEmergency contraception with ethinyloestradiol-levonorgestrel is effective, and ectopic pregnancy following its failure is rare.CaseA 21-year-old nulligravid Japanese woman with regular menstrual periods took ethinyloestradiol-levonorgestrel pills for emergency contraception (EC) 36 and 48 hours after a coitus complicated by retention of the condom in the vagina. She started bleeding vaginally 24 days after that intercourse. As the bleeding continued for three weeks she consulted a gynaecologist. The pregnancy test was positive. Two weeks later she complained of lower abdominal pain, and transvaginal ultrasonography suggested a pelvic blood collection. At emergency surgery, she was found to have a left tubal pregnancy.ConclusionAlthough ectopic pregnancy after failure of EC is rare, one should be alert to its possible occurrence.

26 keywords...

hide…