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.