extrauterine

Extrauterine is an adjective meaning located or occurring outside the uterus. In medical contexts, it is most commonly used to describe conditions related to gestation outside the uterine cavity, especially an extrauterine or ectopic pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity.

The term is most often associated with ectopic pregnancies, but implants can occur in a variety of locations. The most common site is the fallopian tube (tubal ectopic pregnancy), but ectopic implants may also occur in the ovary, cervix, abdomen, or within a cesarean scar. Outside of pregnancy, extrauterine may describe tissues or processes that are anatomically outside the uterus, though its use in obstetrics is most prevalent.

Diagnosis typically begins with symptoms such as abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Risk factors include prior ectopic pregnancy, tubal damage, pelvic inflammatory disease, or assisted reproductive technologies. Diagnostic evaluation relies on imaging and laboratory testing, notably transvaginal ultrasound to locate a gestation and serial measurements of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). A pregnancy is considered extrauterine when no intrauterine gestation is seen at or above a discriminatory hCG threshold.

Management depends on location, size, hCG level, and the patient’s stability. Medical management with methotrexate can be appropriate for stable, early ectopic pregnancies without rupture. Surgical management, typically by laparoscopy, is required for ruptured ectopic pregnancies or when medical therapy is unsuitable or unsuccessful. Follow-up hCG testing ensures resolution.

Prognosis varies with site and promptness of treatment. Ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition that can threaten maternal health and fertility if not addressed promptly, underscoring the importance of early prenatal evaluation when extrauterine pregnancy is suspected.