Genital tuberculosis: an important cause of ectopic pregnancy in India

To assess the role of genital tuberculosis as an etiological factor for ectopic pregnancy. A total of eighteen women of ectopic pregnancy with concomitant female genital tuberculosis and a total of one hundred thirty six patients of ectopic pregnancy over a period of three years were enrolled. Mean age of patients with ectopic pregnancy and concomitant female genital tuberculosis was twenty-six and mean parity was 0.7. Most of these patients were in poor socio-economic group. Diagnosis of female genital tuberculosis was made by presence of granuloma in histopathological examination of endometrial aspirate or tubal specimen, positive acid fast bacilli in microscopy or culture, positive polymerase chain reaction in endometrial tissue and positive findings of genital tuberculosis during laparoscopy or laparotomy. Genital tuberculosis was responsible for 13.2% of all cases of ectopic pregnancy in the present study. Genital tuberculosis appears to be an important cause of ectopic pregnancy in India.