Statistics from Great Britain, Finland, the US and Sweden show a continuing increase in the number of extrauterine pregnancies. Since the 1970s, methods of diagnosing extrauterine pregnancies have been improved, and at the present, echoscopy and laparoscopy are generally used. Based on the 30,000 sterilizations performed in the Netherlands each year, and 2% pregnancies, 12-30% of these are extrauterine. Of the 1300 extrauterine pregnancies, there were 72-180 unsuccessful tubal operations. Increased IUD use is not considered to be the reason. The IUD protects against intrauterine as well as extrauterine pregnancy, but is more effective against the former. 3-4% of IUD users had extrauterine pregnancies vs. .8% for other pregnant women. Salpingitis can result from extrauterine pregnancy. The IUD is a possible cause of salpingitis, even after it is removed. An increase in infections among IUD users due to more frequent change in sexual partners is shown. The death rate for mothers as the result of extrauterine pregnancies was 10% (in Great Britain as well as in the US). Aside from early diagnosis and prompt treatment, the following can be done: selective implantation of IUDs (avoiding women who frequently change partners, those with a history of interrupted fertility, adhesions due to salpingitis or tubal operations); good treatment and diagnosis of conditions that could lead to salpingitis; and sterilization using methods with a high success rate.