The annual incidence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) per deliveries, per all diagnosed pregnancies and per female population at fertile age (15-44 years) were measured from 1966 to 1986 in a well-defined urban area of Southwestern Finland, the Turku Region. The incidence rates increased markedly, and were, in the mid-80s, among the highest in the world: 2.6 per 100 deliveries, 1.8 per 100 diagnosed pregnancies and 153 per 100,000 fertile-aged women. The regional incidence rate exceeded the national one in the 1970s, whereas in the 1980s the regional rate which has levelled-off during recent years has been equal to, and currently even lower than the national one. This suggests that changes in the incidence of EP in urban area(s) preceed those in the whole country.
Adolescent Adult