The Risk of Ectopic Pregnancy After Embryo Transfer and MTX Treatment

The Risk of Ectopic Pregnancy After Embryo Transfer and MTX Treatment

The key point of embryo transfer is to place the precious embryo into the uterine cavity at the area where the endometrium is thickest and where implantation is most likely to occur, in order to achieve a successful pregnancy.

According to statistics from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, among women with infertility who undergo IVF treatment, the chance of ectopic pregnancy is still 1.38%, which is higher than in natural conception.

This may be because the patient already had tubal problems, or because the use of ovulation medications caused hormonal changes that made it more difficult for the embryo to implant inside the uterine cavity, resulting in ectopic pregnancy.

Once ectopic pregnancy occurs, it can be treated with surgery or medication.

✦ Medication treatment for ectopic pregnancy, Methotrexate, MTX:

MTX is a medication used in cancer chemotherapy.

It can effectively destroy trophoblastic cells, so it can eliminate the embryonic tissue of an ectopic pregnancy and terminate the pregnancy.

✦ Indications for using MTX to treat ectopic pregnancy include:

1. Pregnancy duration less than 6 weeks
2. Blood β-HCG level less than 2000 mIU/ml
3. Embryonic tissue smaller than 3.5 cm and not ruptured

MTX is given by intramuscular injection for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

The commonly used dose is calculated according to body weight, 1 mg per kilogram.

Afterward, the blood β-HCG level will be monitored.

If β-HCG continues to decrease and there are no signs of rupture or bleeding from the ectopic pregnancy, observation can continue until the level drops below 10 mIU/ml.

If the decrease is not significant, an additional injection may be considered, or surgery may be needed when necessary.

For ectopic pregnancy cases that meet the treatment criteria, the success rate of MTX can reach 93%, without the need for surgical intervention.

Because the dosage of MTX used for ectopic pregnancy treatment is not high, side effects are relatively reduced.

In general, the impact on liver function, kidney function, blood cells, and platelets is not significant.

✦ How long after completing ectopic pregnancy treatment can you consider another pregnancy?

After the blood β-HCG level returns to normal and the menstrual cycle has resumed, it is recommended to rest for 2 to 3 months before considering pregnancy again.

Yun-I Fertility Center nursing consultant: Su-Mi Wang

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