Many women worry about ectopic pregnancy, AKA tubal pregnancy when they find out that they are pregnant, especially if they have already experienced one or more in previous pregnancies. When a woman has an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg did not make its way to the uterus. It implanted in the fallopian tube instead. Inside the tube the fertilized egg cannot receive the nutrients it needs and the pregnancy cannot be maintained. This inability to grow correctly because of not being in the uterus causes the pregnancy to miscarry and sometimes the tube is damaged. The woman can feel pain and in some cases may even experience internal bleeding. Usually the existence of the tubal pregnancy can be detected before this damage occurs but not always. This is why women become concerned over this very serious pregnancy complication.

Are you at risk for an ectopic pregnancy?

Statistically 1 in every 100 pregnancies starts to grow outside of the uterus with the majority of those doing so inside the fallopian tube. The risk for an ectopic does increase each time you experience an ectopic pregnancy. You are also at risk for an ectopic pregnancy if you have had any damage to your fallopian tubes such as scarring from an infection, past surgeries, or endometriosis. Infections that can cause scarring and this increase your risk for an ectopic pregnancy include infection from chlamydia, herpes, HIV, HPV, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Women who use IUDs for birth control and become pregnant with the IUD still in place are also at a higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy.

Signs or symptoms that you may have an ectopic pregnancy and should get medical attention immediately:

An early ectopic pregnancy acts pretty much like any other pregnancy until the developing embryo starts to grow to the point that it is pushing against the tube. Vaginal bleeding and lower abdominal pain may be noticeable at this time. Bleeding does not have to accompany pain and there are other times in which the bleeding occurs without pain. The symptoms of pain and bleeding are not exclusive to ectopic pregnancies. These two symptoms occur in normal pregnancies too.

A growing undetected ectopic pregnancy can lead to serious consequences for the pregnant woman. Receiving an accurate diagnosis quickly is critical for the possibility of a best-case scenario for her. Viability of the embryo is not possible inside the tube so the chance of a successful pregnancy and birth of the baby is not possible. It is important for any woman who suspects she may be pregnant or has received a positive pregnancy test and experiences pain or bleeding to see her medical professional immediately.

Diagnosing the ectopic pregnancy:

A doctor suspecting a ectopic pregnancy will perform a physical examination, order blood tests, and perform a ultrasound all of which will help to determine if the pregnancy is located in the uterus, the tube or elsewhere.

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