MANAGEMENT OF A VIABLE THIRD TRIMESTER ABDOMINAL PREGNANCY

Potentially life-threatening abdominal pregnancies are defined by a pregnancy located in the peritoneal cavity exclusive of tubal, ovarian, or ligamentous locations. These pregnancies are either primarily formed in the peritoneal cavity or secondarily as a result of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy or tubal abortion. We present a case of an incidental finding of a viable abdominal pregnancy in a patient who previously underwent tubal ligation. A pre-operative multidisciplinary conference was held to discuss the possibility of prolonging the pregnancy with the ultimate decision being termination of the pregnancy. The patient successfully underwent delivery of the fetus with complete removal of the placenta and had an unremarkable post-operative course. Abdominal pregnancies are exceedingly rare management needs to be individualized on a per case basis in order to determine whether to proceed with immediate termination or to allow for further prolongation of the pregnancy. Our case highlights the importance of careful pre-operative planning and multidisciplinary teamwork to optimize the outcomes for both mother and child.