Understanding Ectopic Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

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Ectopic Pregnancy

by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023

Additional names

This group contains additional names: - Tubal Pregnancy - Abdominal Pregnancy - Ovarian Pregnancy

General

Ectopic pregnancy is a term used to describe a pregnancy in which the fetus is not in the uterus (womb). The most common location is the fallopian tubes, but it can be anywhere from your abdominal cavity to your cervix. If left untreated, it can cause life- threatening complications. For a pregnancy to accrue, a female’s egg needs to join a male’s sperm to create a fertilized egg that will travel to the uterus and attach to it. In some cases, the fertilized egg does not reach the uterus and ectopic pregnancy occurs. The cause of ectopic pregnancy is usually unknown, although women with scarred fallopian tubes, intrauterine device or structural malformations have a higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy. If left untreated, an ectopic pregnancy can cause a rupture of the fallopian tubes and massive vaginal bleeding, which can endanger your life.

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Signs & symptoms

Ectopic pregnancy can appear without any symptoms. In other cases, it might cause sharp lower belly pain and vaginal bleeding- light or heavy. if it is not treated early, it can cause massive vaginal bleeding, weakness and fainting. If you are pregnant and any of these symptoms appears- you need to get to an emergency room urgently.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis is made using a *vaginal ultrasound*- when the doctor cannot find the embryo sac in your uterus. Sometimes the sac can be seen in the fallopian tube. *Blood test* for hCG levels is needed to confirm the pregnancy and assess its age.

Treatment

An ectopic pregnancy can be treated in two ways: 1) *Medications*- the doctor will inject you with a medicine that stops the growth of the fetus and causes it to dissolve over time. A follow-up blood tests are needed to make sure the pregnancy is terminated appropriately. 2) *Surgery*- to remove the embryo promptly. It might include removing one of your fallopian tube. The treatment will be decided according to the pregnancy age, its location, the risk for complications and your symptoms.

Note

☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike

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