Research Abstract
Abstract
Background: Abdominal pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic gestation. Early diagnosis of this rare condition is
difficult, owing to its atypical presentation and low index of suspicion. The characteristic history is that of
abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract. These symptoms are
occasionally overlooked, and the diagnosis is often missed. Case: A 20 year-old woman, gravida 2, para 0 + 1, 30
weeks’ pregnant, presented with abdominal pain and absent foetal movements for 7 days. There was no history of
pain prior to this episode, and she had no vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. She reported that she had regular
antenatal care with 3 ultrasound scans confirming a normal pregnancy. On examination, the fetal position was
transverse with easily palpable fetal parts. Fetal heart sounds were audible. Ultrasound examination revealed an
unexpectedly empty uterus with a 30 week-old fetus and an extrauterine placenta. Magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) confirmed the previous findings. Laparotomy was performed to extract the fetus and the placenta.
Results: The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and she was discharged after 5 days. The neonate
died after 2 weeks because of severe respiratory distress syndrome. Conclusions: Despite being very rare,
abdominal pregnancy should be suspected regardless of gestational age. The presence of easily palpable fetal
parts and an empty uterus should warrant the diagnosis. Good quality antenatal care is mandatory for early
detection of this rare condition, Ultrasound examination remains the ‘‘gold standard’’ for initial diagnosis.
However, MRI may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. ( J GYNECOL SURG 31:40)
Research Authors
Kamal Mohammed Zahran, MBBCh, MSc, MD, Alaa M. Ismail, MD, Mohammed Khairy Ali, MSc,
Esraa Y. Badran, MSc, Maraey M. Khalil, MSc, and Sherif A. Shazly, MSc