review of predisposing factors of cervical ectopic pregnancy; an update

review of predisposing factors of cervical ectopic pregnancy; an update

cervical ectopic pregnancies (ceps) are rare, comprising less than 1% of ectopic pregnancies. due to the rich cervical vascularity and the incompatibility of the cervix to hold an advancing pregnancy, there is a marked increase in the potential of hemorrhage following the cep leading to mortality, morbidity, and infertility experienced by the implicated women. ceps are more difficult to diagnose and get identified at later gestational ages. cep is one of the rarest forms of ectopic pregnancies and most commonly it is a consequence of assisted reproductive technology (art); while definitive risk factors are not fully known.

possible risk factors include cervical and uterine anomalies, previous curettages or cesarean sections, smoking, tubal factor infertility, or in vitro fertilization (ivf) treatment. our analysis of literature in 200 patients; while was restricted to case series retrospective studies, showed that a history of previous c-section, uterine curettage or d&c procedures, and history of using assisted reproductive technology might be some potential risk factors. the increasing application of hegar dilators was hypothesized as the cause of the rise in ceps.

dilation and curettage (d&c) might also make the subject vulnerable to cep development in the future. previous d&c history could be a potential predisposing factor that is common among cep patients. in this review, we critically reviewed these potential risk factors. in conclusion, the risk factors of cep and its effect on fertility are also not studied properly. the rarity of these cases makes it difficult to predict as well if the risk of their recurrence is elevated.