Three Cases of Heterotopic Pregnancies Managed at The University College Hospital Ibadan in the Last Five Years

Abstract

The coexistence of extrauterine and intrauterine pregnancy is known as heterotopic pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancies may have increased in recent times due to improved diagnostic tools, availability of artificial reproductive therapy among others.  High index of suspicion is required to make a diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy as the presence of intrauterine gestational sac should not rule out ectopic pregnancy but rather raise suspicion in the face of clinical or radiological features of ectopic pregnancy.

We present three cases of heterotopic pregnancies managed at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. There was rupture of the ectopic gestation in all cases, diagnoses were aided with ultrasonography and they were managed with exploratory laparotomy. Excellent maternal outcomes but failure of the intrauterine pregnancy was seen in all cases. Surgical management remains an option of management but may be associated with high rates of failure of intrauterine gestation.