When you find out you’re pregnant, you get excited and start dreaming about your baby. On the contrary, your exciting news will make you worry and possibly you might be wondering, “What causes miscarriage?”. Ectopic pregnancy is one of the major reasons for miscarriage. In this article, let’s go into more detail about ectopic pregnancy and its symptoms.
What is Ectopic pregnancy?
A normal pregnancy occurs when the sperm and egg meet to form a fertilized egg which usually attaches to the lining of the uterus. In contrast when the pregnancy develops outside the uterine cavity (womb), then this condition is termed ectopic pregnancy. It happens in 2 in 100 pregnancies (1% to 2%).
The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube (the tube which carries ovular eggs to the uterus) and so it is commonly called tubular pregnancy. Other than the fallopian tube ectopic pregnancies can also occur in other sites such as the ovary, cervix, cesarean scar, or abdomen.
What will happen in ectopic pregnancy?
Ectopic pregnancies cannot be sustained since only your uterus is meant to carry a pregnancy. As the fallopian tube in ectopic pregnancy can’t accommodate the growing embryo, the pregnancy cannot be continued normally.
About half of the ectopic pregnancies end in miscarriage (tubal abortion) which may be asymptomatic or have slight pain and vaginal bleeding. Sometimes it turns out to be a medical emergency when the fallopian tube ruptures which can cause heavy internal bleeding and pain.
Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy?
Very often you think it’s just a late period, but the reason behind it is ectopic pregnancy. Typically, the symptoms develop around the 6th week of pregnancy. But, it can present anytime between 4 and 10 weeks of pregnancy. Early symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy can be similar to regular pregnancy symptoms.
But, an ectopic pregnancy makes you experience additional symptoms as follows
*Pain in the abdomen
*Giddines or sudden collapse
*Shoulder tip pain
Am I at Risk?
Notably, 1/3 of women with ectopic pregnancy don’t have any risk factors
An ectopic pregnancy is more likely to occur in you.
*If you previously experienced an ectopic pregnancy
*If you have any damage to the fallopian tube because of previous surgery or infection of the uterus(PID), endometriosis, etc
*If you have a previous history of sterilization done
How to confirm ectopic pregnancy?
See your doctor immediately if you think you might be having an ectopic pregnancy. The doctors can confirm your ectopic pregnancy by the following tests
*Urine test
A treatment method will be discussed with you once your doctor has confirmed an ectopic pregnancy and identified the location of the fertilized egg’s implant.
To Conclude:
No matter how early, pregnancy loss may be painful. After this loss, take care of yourself by getting enough rest and having a healthy diet. But also keep in mind that lots of women go on to have healthy pregnancies and children after ectopic pregnancies.
