Ectopic pregnancy: when is expectant management safe?

Table 3 Characteristics and complications of the intervention groups

	Group I (N = 33)	Group IIa (N = 130)	P	Test
	Immediate intervention	Unsuccessful expectant management	P	Test
Laparotomies^a	4	11	NS	Cramer’s V
Time surgery took place	Time of surgery during the day		NS	Cramer’s V
Length of surgery (hh:mm)^b	01:02 ± 00:03	01:04 ± 00:02	NS	Mann–Whitney
Tubal rupture ^a	0	1	NS	Cramer’s V
Persistent trophoblast ^a	0	9	NS	Cramer’s V
(No decline of beta-hCG levels)	0	9	NS	Cramer’s V
Conversions ^a	2	9	NS	Cramer’s V
Heavy blood loss (>1 l) ^a	1	2	NS	Cramer’s V
Conversions due to heavy blood loss ^a	1	0	<.05	Cramer’s V

Comparison of the characteristics and complications of the two intervention groups. As explained in the “Methods” section, only asymptomatic patients of group I are analyzed (because of a presumed association between acute presentation and higher complication rates), whereas in group IIa, all patients are analyzed (because an increased risk is a direct consequence of expectant management)
^a N
^bMean ± SD