A Randomized Prospective Double Blind Study of Misoprostol Administration in Asymptomatic Patients With Pregnancies of Unknown Location

A randomized prospective double blind study of misoprostol administration in asymptomatic patients with pregnancies of unknown location.

The management of asymptomatic patients with pregnancies of unknown location (PUL) remains a challenge. Determining the location of the pregnancy is the first priority in the evaluation of these women. Some of these asymptomatic women present with inappropriate raising beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (βHCG), while others have assurance of pregnancy duration (e.g. IVF pregnancies) with no sonographic evidence of intra or extra uterine pregnancy. Most of the PULs are failed intra-uterine pregnancies.

The main concern regarding PUL is the late diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy (EP). Some studies report that between 5 and 42% of women seen for US assessment with a positive pregnancy test have a PUL and only 6-20% will subsequently diagnosed with EP (1). Other studies report that 94% of PUL will resolve spontaneously, and out of the 6% that did not spontaneously resolve 68.9 % were finally diagnosed with failed IUP and only 5.6% were diagnosed with EP (2).

Women with PUL should be evaluated in minimum time, but also with minimal invasiveness. Management that will resolve such pregnancies in a rapid manner will save time and money and possibly avoid unnecessary administration of MTX or surgical intervention.

Several protocols have been investigated in order to fasten the diagnosis of PUL. For example, obtaining serial β-HCG, the first one in the initial presentation, two days later and seven days later (3). Another protocol suggested endometrial sampling by D&C or aspiration of uterine continents with Karman cannula and checking the β-HCG after 24 hours (2).