There is a lot of misinformation and confusion out there about ectopic pregnancies. Although these pregnancies can cause life-threatening medical emergencies and sometimes require immediate surgery (and even hysterectomy, in rare cases), tubal pregnancies that are caught early can be fairly simple and much less drastic to treat. For that reason, it is good to be informed about signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy and what to expect after diagnosis.
What Ectopic Pregnancies Are
Ectopic pregnancies are pregnancies that have implanted outside the uterus, usually in the pelvic or abdominal region. The most common type of ectopic pregnancy is tubal pregnancy, meaning the pregnancy is implanted in the fallopian tubes.
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Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy
In the early stages, an ectopic pregnancy may not have any symptoms outside of typical pregnancy symptoms. Brown spotting is possible in early pregnancy, although it does not mean that you have an ectopic pregnancy. You may also have pain in your lower abdomen that might be just be on one side. A ruptured tubal pregnancy may have more severe symptoms.
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Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosis
Ectopic pregnancy diagnosis may include hCG blood tests, ultrasound, pelvic examination, or a combination of the above. Surprisingly, it is not always easy to determine whether a pregnancy is in the tubes.
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Treatment Options
Some ectopic pregnancies will require surgery, while others will end on their own, and still others will be treated medically with a drug that inhibits growth of the pregnancy cells. The doctor will determine a treatment based on the circumstances.
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Future Pregnancies
There is an increased risk of having another ectopic pregnancy if you have had one in the past, but if you work with a doctor before conception, you should have good odds of having a normal pregnancy in the future.
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