Cytologic evaluation of atypical cells in cervicovaginal smears from women with tubal pregnancies.

Cytologic changes in the cervicovaginal smears of 28 women with tubal pregnancies are described. Eleven cervicovaginal smears showed atypical cells, including two cellular patterns: glandular type and naked-nuclei type. About 60% of the cases with atypical cells included the naked-nuclei type of cell, which showed wide variations in nuclear size. Polyploid Feulgen DNA distributions were noted for both types of cells, which probably originate with the Arias-Stella reaction of the endometrium. The cytologic observation of atypical Arias-Stella cells in cervicovaginal smears may be useful in the early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, especially if both cell types are present.