Limitations
Most studies included in our analysis were retrospective, and therefore
there was an absence of standard operative procedures. There was no
standardised method to report findings amongst these studies. For
example, reporting a “ruptured ectopic” is defined by the presence of
hemoperitoneum. There was no standardised reporting of patients’
haemodynamic status nor of reported complications amongst studies. Some
studies only focused on management methods or rupture rate and did not
disclose data regarding complication rates (6,15,17,18,21,22,23).
Although delays in attendance to emergency services were described in
many studies, only three studies compared gestational age at diagnosis.