This article discusses the aetiology of tubal ectopic pregnancy and the associated risk factors, methods of diagnosis and treatment options, so that nurses will be better informed and feel more confident when advising and nursing patients

Aims and intended learning outcomes Ectopic pregnancy has been described as an unmitigated human reproductive catastrophe (De Cherney 1983). The effects of such a disaster have been widely studied across the world over the past few decades. This article aims to explore the incidence and aetiology of the condition, how it is diagnosed and managed and the implications for future fertility. After reading the article you should be able to: