EPT Gold Standard Statement
As The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, we believe that:
- Any woman or person capable of conceiving of childbearing age who is sexually active or undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, who has ectopic pregnancy symptoms, should be considered to be pregnant until proven otherwise.
- They should receive a transvaginal ultrasound scan by an appropriately trained healthcare professional within 24 hours of presentation. Levels of hCG and progesterone should be measured through blood tests if the scan is inconclusive (i.e. the pregnancy is classified as a pregnancy of unknown location).
- If an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed, wherever possible, they should be given a choice of all of treatments that are available to treat the ectopic pregnancy, taking into consideration their medical condition. This should be accompanied by relevant, understandable information so that they are able to make an informed choice.
- A follow up appointment should be offered two to three weeks either after surgery, or once expectant or medical management has been successful. At this appointment, information on how to access support services such as those of The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust should be supplied if not already provided at diagnosis.
- The psychological impact of ectopic pregnancy is significant and people should be advised about appropriate support groups. In a proportion of people affected by ectopic pregnancy, psychological assessment should be considered and, if appropriate, referral for further psychological support and therapy should be made direct or via the primary care provider.
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