Ectopic Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms, Risks and Treatment

Renuka Rana
Sep 5, 2018 · 3 min read

Right from fertilization to delivery, pregnancy needs certain steps to be completed in a woman’s body. One of the steps requires a fertilized egg to travel to the uterus to attach itself. However, in case of an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg attaches itself in some other place like cervix, abdominal cavity or fallopian tube and not inside the uterus.

What Causes Ectopic Pregnancy?

Ectopic pregnancy can be caused by many reasons such as:

· Previous surgery in the pelvic area or tubes which may cause adhesions

· Inflammation or infection of fallopian tube

· Birth defect or abnormal growth may lead to abnormality in the shape of the tube

· Scar tissue from previous infection or any kind of surgical process on tube can hamper the movement of the egg

· hormonal factors can also cause ectopic pregnancy

Who is at the risk of Ectopic Pregnancy?

All women who are sexually active are at risk of an ectopic pregnancy. However, risk factors grow with any of the following:

· history of ectopic pregnancy

· history of endometriosis

· maternal age of 35 years or more

· having structural abnormalities in fallopian tubes making it difficult for egg to travel

· conception assisted by fertility drugs or processes

· history of pelvic inflammatory disease

· conception occurred in spite of intrauterine device or tube ligation

· having history of sexually transmitted diseases

Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy

If you have an ectopic pregnancy, you may not notice anything at first. But some women have usual early signs of pregnancy such as nausea, vaginal bleeding, breast tenderness and missed period.

With pregnancy test, the result would be positive. Even then, an ectopic pregnancy cannot continue as normal.

Usually the symptom of ectopic pregnancy increases with the growth of fertilized egg in the improper place.

Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy

The first step to diagnose ectopic pregnancy is an interview and examination by the doctor. The second step involves getting a qualitative pregnancy test. Usually, doctor could feel a tender mass during pelvic examination. If there is an ectopic pregnancy, the blood hormone pregnancy tests and pelvic ultrasound can confirm the analysis.

Transvaginal ultrasound is a useful test to check an ectopic pregnancy. In this, an ultrasound probe is inserted in vagina and pelvic images are seen on monitor.

Treatment of Ectopic Pregnancy

If it’s an ectopic pregnancy, it won’t survive as the fertilized egg cannot grow outside the uterus. The treatment is medicine or surgery. The doctor would recommend which treatment is the best for you.

Medication: During this treatment, you get shots of a medicine, methotrexate which terminates ectopic pregnancy. The medicine stops the fertilized eggs from growing further and the cells already developed are absorbed by your body.

Surgical procedure: Ectopic pregnancy can also be terminated with surgical process using laparoscopy. There would be a small cut near your belly button. With the help of tiny camera and surgical tools, doctor remove the ectopic pregnancy. This process may cause scarring in fallopian tube.

Can I have normal pregnancy after ectopic pregnancy?

You may have a mix of feeling after ectopic pregnancy including disappointment, shock and fear, which is normal and would become less intense with time.

There is a good probability to get normal pregnancy again, but it can be difficult. In case both fallopian tubes are intact, or even one, you can have normal pregnancy in future.

Chances of successful pregnancy after ectopic pregnancy may be reduced but would depend on the causes of ectopic pregnancy and your medical history. If you had your fallopian tube removed, talk to your doctor early.

Usually doctors recommend waiting for at least three to six months before trying again. If you already had an Ectopic pregnancy, chances to develop it again increases.

Renuka Rana

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Creative writer.

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