Success rates of single-dose methotrexate and additional dose requirements among women with first and previous ectopic pregnancies

ObjectiveTo compare the success of the single-dose methotrexate regimen and the requirement for a second or third dose of methotrexate between women with their first ectopic pregnancy (EP) and those with previous EP.MethodsIn a retrospective cohort study, data were analyzed from women treated for EP by single-dose methotrexate at a Turkish tertiary referral center between January 2010 and December 2013. Data were compared between women with at least one previous EP and those with their first EP.ResultsThe success rate of the protocol in the first and previous EP groups was similar: 93.0% (320/344) and 87.3% (48/55), respectively. History of previous EP was not a predictor of treatment failure. However, the requirement for additional methotrexate doses was significantly higher in the previous EP group (16/48 [33.4%]) than in the first EP group (55/320 [17.2%]; P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis showed that history of tubal surgery (P = 0.006) and initial levels of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (P = 0.001) were significant predictors of treatment failure.ConclusionAlthough the single-dose regimen had similar success rates in the previous EP and first EP groups, additional doses of methotrexate were more frequently required in the previous EP group.