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Introduction: It is estimated that 6% to 13% of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain will have ectopic pregnancy. Risk factors such as previous pelvic infections, assisted reproductive technologies and previous tubal surgery as well as prevalence of ectopic pregnancy vary geographically. To date, the surveillance of ectopic pregnancy in Canada has been limited to hospitalized patient data, excluding patients receiving methotrexate therapy, day surgery or expectant management, possibly underestimating the true prevalence. The objective of this study was to determine Ontario’s ectopic pregnancy rate and geographic variability using both inpatient and outpatient data sources. Methods: Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database, Same Day Surgery Database, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System, and Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) Claims Database was retrieved for all females with valid OHIP coverage aged 15 to 45 years from July 2002 to August 2014. Using ICD-10 and OHIP codes for ectopic pregnancy, abortions and deliveries, the rates and distribution of ectopic pregnancy (per 1000 reported pregnancies) by age group and public health unit (PHU) were documented. These data were also compared to the rate of ectopic pregnancy documented using only hospitalized patient data. Results: Using inpatient and outpatient data sources, the rate of ectopic pregnancy in Ontario increased from 20.5 to 27.5 per 1000 reported pregnancies from 2002 to 2014, respectively. The rate of ectopic pregnancy using only hospitalized patient data decreased from 12.6 to 9.5 per 1000 reported pregnancies from 2002 to 2014, respectively. The median (IQR) rate of ectopic pregnancy over the 12-year study period varied across public health units in Ontario, ranging from 14.9 (12.5, 17.5) to 37.7 (29.1, 55.8) per 1000 reported pregnancies. Conclusion: The rate of ectopic pregnancy is increasing in Ontario and has been previously underreported using only hospitalized patient data. Further research is needed to identify the factors resulting in this increase as well as the outcomes of ectopic pregnancies in Ontario.
