Spontaneous Heterotopic Pregnancy: Case Report and Literature Review

A Spontaneous Heterotopic Pregnancy Presenting as Acute Appendicitis

Heterotopic pregnancy (HP) occurs when there is a simultaneous intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, either viable or non-viable. Although spontaneous HP is rare, it is important to consider this possibility. Acute appendicitis (AA) is a common non-obstetric surgical emergency in pregnant women. Diagnosing HP can be challenging, particularly in pregnant women who present with symptoms such as right iliac fossa pain and an acute abdomen. As HP may not be initially suspected in the presence of a viable intrauterine pregnancy, we present an intriguing case of spontaneous HP initially presenting as AA, along with a literature review. Our objective is to raise awareness of HP among trainee obstetricians and general surgeons.

Intrauterine hydatidiform mole complicated with tubal ectopic pregnancy: a case report

Heterotopic pregnancies are rare pathological pregnancy disorders in clinical practice. However, the number of cases has increased with the widespread use of ovulation induction drugs in recent years. The clinical manifestations of heterotrophic pregnancies are diverse and easy to missed or misdiagnosed. A 33-year-old married Gravida1 Para 0 + 0 patient was admitted on December 8, 2020 with intermittent abdominal pain 18 days after uterine curettage for complete hydatidiform mole of 8 weeks gestation. She had ovulation-promoting drugs prior to the index pregnancy. Hysteroscopic-directed endometrial biopsy and laparoscopic left tubal surgery were offered to her; and she is being followed up with serial pelvic ultrasounds and β-Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (βHCG) assays. This case study presents a case of intrauterine hydatidiform mole complicated with tubal pregnancy to highlight the problems associated with its diagnosis and treatment.

Angular Heterotopic Pregnancy: Successful Differential Diagnosis, Expectant Management and Postpartum Care

Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare, difficult to diagnose and life-threatening pathology, which requires timely decisions made by an experienced multidisciplinary team. In this type of multiple pregnancy there are both intrauterine and ectopic pregnancies present. Its incidence increases in pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technology or in pregnancies with ovulation induction. This article presents an angular heterotopic pregnancy case in a 34-year-old multigravida. The patient was admitted on the 14th week of gestation due to abdominal pain on the left side with suspicion of heterotopic pregnancy. Transabdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to confirm the diagnosis of heterotopic angular pregnancy in the left cornu of the uterus. Multidisciplinary team made a decision to keep monitoring the growth of both pregnancies by ultrasound while maternal vitals were stable. Due to intensifying abdominal pain, diagnostic laparoscopy was performed. No signs of uterine rupture were observed, and no additional surgical procedures were performed. Maternal status and ultrasonographic findings were closely monitored. The mass in the left cornu of the uterus did not change significantly and the fetal growth of the intrauterine pregnancy matched its gestational age throughout pregnancy. At the 41st week of gestation, a healthy female neonate was born via spontaneous vaginal delivery. The incidence rate of heterotopic pregnancy tends to grow due to an increased number of pregnancies after assisted reproductive technology and ovulation induction. It is important to always assess the risk factors. The main methods for diagnosing heterotopic pregnancies are ultrasonography and MRI. The main management tactics for heterotopic pregnancy include expectant management as well as surgical or medical termination of the ectopic pregnancy. Expectant management may be chosen as an option only in a limited number of cases, if the clinical situation meets the specific criteria. When applicable, expectant management may reduce the frequency of unnecessary interventions and help to prevent patients from its complications.

Spontaneous Heterotopic Pregnancy with Unaffected Intrauterine Pregnancy: Systematic Review of Clinical Outcomes

Background and objective: Spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy (SHP) is a rare condition represented by the synchronous coexistence of an intrauterine and an ectopic pregnancy. It rarely occurs with natural conception and is usually a consequence of assisted reproductive techniques. Diagnosis of SHP can be a challenge for the clinician. The evolution of the intrauterine pregnancy is dependent on many factors, such as the location of the heterotopic pregnancy, gestational age at the time of diagnosis, the surgical procedure, the presence of other risk factors, early or delayed management. The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to extract existing evidence on spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy with otherwise unaffected intrauterine pregnancy. Materials and Methods: From a total of 1907 database entries identified in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane reviews, we selected 18 papers for narrative synthesis, for which we explored the diagnostic options, treatment, and outcome of these extremely rare epidemiologic occurrences. Manuscripts were assessed using the CARE guidelines for reporting case reports. Results: The main symptom was abdominal pain, and the preferred treatment approach was surgical, more precisely, using a laparoscopic approach. Most cases presented no risk factors, and the diagnosis was mostly made in the first semester. Conclusions: Normal follow-up and evolution of intrauterine pregnancy have been observed regardless of surgical approach (open or laparoscopic). Early diagnosis and treatment are advised, as they impact maternal and fetal outcomes. Evidence on this topic is scarce, predominantly comprised of case reports with variable degrees of adherence to dissemination guidelines. More studies on this topic are required to optimize care protocols for this type of pregnancy.