Audit of changing surgical management of ectopic pregnancies in a large district general hospital in the United Kingdom

Over the 5 years form 1997 to 2001 we audited all 384 ectopic pregnancies that were treated surgically. The rate of surgically treated ectopic pregnancies expressed as a proportion of maternities ranged from 1.17 to 1.5%. During this time the proportion of these pregnancies treated laparoscopically rose from 28% to 66%, with the most rapid increases occurring following the appointment of gynaecologists with a special interest in laparoscopic surgery. The mean time taken to treat ectopic pregnancies surgically was the same regardless of whether the procedure was performed by laparotomy of laparoscopy.