Ectopic Pregnancy Symptoms

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What is an ectopic pregnancy?

In a normal pregnancy, the fertilized egg enters the uterus and implants into the uterine lining where it has plenty of room to divide and grow.

An ectopic pregnancy happens when the woman’s egg is fertilized, but implants before it reaches the uterus. The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube (so-called tubal pregnancies), but implantation can also occur in the cervix, ovaries, and abdomen.

Ectopic pregnancies cannot continue to birth (term). They are considered medical emergency, as they commonly cause internal bleeding, which can be dangerous for the mother. An ectopic pregnancy if not treated properly, can even lead to death.

Should you be worried about ectopic pregnancy?

Fortunately, ectopic pregnancies are very rare. It’s estimated that only about 1% of pregnancies are ectopic with almost 50% of those being spontaneously miscarried or naturally absorbed by the woman’s body.

Signs of Ectopic Pregnancy: What Are The Warning Symptoms?

In many cases, a pregnant woman and her doctor may not at first have any reason to suspect an ectopic pregnancy. This is because, in the early days, an ectopic pregnancy symptoms are either are either absent or similar to normal pregnancy symptoms. Ectopic symptoms usually begin between 5 to 8 weeks after a missed period.

Ectopic pregnancy symptoms

A woman with an ectopic pregnancy may experience common signs of early pregnancy, such as:

• Missed menstrual period
• Feeling tired
• Swollen and tender breasts
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increased urination

As an ectopic pregnancy progresses, though, other symptoms develop, including:

• Pelvic or abdominal pain, six to eight weeks after a missed period. This pain may be confused with a strong stomach pain, it may also feel like a strong cramp. It may get worse with movement or straining. It may start as a sharp pain on one side and then spread through the entire pelvic area.
• Spotting or mild vaginal bleeding.  This can be resemble an early miscarriage or the implantation bleeding of a normal early pregnancy.
• Painful urination.
• Pain while having a bowel movement.
• Pain with intercourse or during a pelvic exam.
• Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting caused by internal bleeding.
• Shoulder pain caused by bleeding into the abdomen and irritating the diaphragm. This is experienced as pain in the shoulder
• Lower back, abdominal, or pelvic pain.

It is important to pay attention to any symptoms, even if you think that you are not pregnant. Pain from an ectopic pregnancy is usually described as sharp and stabbing. It may come and go or vary in intensity.

Some women experiencing ectopic pregnancies may not even be aware that they are pregnant, since ectopic pregnancy test may result in a negative result. This may happen because the pregnancy hormones progesterone and HCG, also responsible for producing physical pregnancy symptoms, are not properly absorbed into the woman’s system.

Seeking medical help after experiencing any signs of ectopic pregnancy is of the utmost importance.

It is critical that a woman in her childbearing years pay close attention to any unexpected or abnormal abdominal pain or discomfort. Any symptoms of ectopic pregnancy must not be ignored.

What Are the Risk Factors for Ectopic Pregnancy?

There are multiple factors that increase a women’s likelihood of having an ectopic pregnancy, but it is important to remember that ectopic pregnancies can occur in women without any of these risk factors.

Women who are at increased risk for ectopic pregnancy include women with history of ectopic pregnancy, have had scarring from abdominal surgeries, history of pelvic surgery (since scarring may block the fertilized egg from leaving the fallopian tube), previous abortions, use of an (IUD) intrauterine device, had pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually transmitted diseases, fibroids, women who smoke, or are over the age of thirty-five.

How is Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosed?

If your doctor suspects an ectopic pregnancy, she or he will probably first perform a pelvic exam to locate pain, tenderness, or a mass in the abdomen.

Lab tests, especially those that measure hCG levels will be helpful in determining whether the pregnancy is progressing normally. In a normal pregnancy, the level of the hCG hormone approximately doubles about every two days during the first 10 weeks. In an ectopic pregnancy, the rate of this increase is much slower. So an hCG level that is lower than what would be expected for the stage of the pregnancy is one reason to suspect an ectopic pregnancy.

Ultrasound exams may be used to help determine whether a pregnancy is ectopic. With this procedure, your doctor may be able to see whether the uterus contains a developing fetus.

Another technique that can be used is called culdocentesis. The doctor will insert a needle into the space at the very top of the vagina, behind the uterus and in front of the rectum. The presence of blood in this area may indicate bleeding from a ruptured fallopian tube.

How is Ectopic Pregnancy Treated?

Treatment usually involves laparoscopy surgery to remove the ectopic pregnancy.

A fallopian tube that has burst from an ectopic pregnancy usually has to be removed. The earlier the ectopic pregnancy is detected, the less extensive surgery needs to be done if the ectopic pregnancy. In cases where the tube has not been stretched too much and has not burst, it may be possible to remove the ectopic pregnancy and repair the tube, allowing it to continue to function.

With early detection and treatment, the affected fallopian tube can be repaired, and the woman can still be fertile. If left untreated, the woman will likely go into shock resulting from internal bleeding. Emergency surgery will be performed to cease the bleeding and remove the ruptured fallopian tube to save the woman’s life.

What About the Future Pregnancies?

Women who have had ectopic pregnancies have a much higher risk of having another one. Even though the chances of getting pregnant again and having a normal pregnancy are still good, you should consult her doctor before trying to get pregnant again.

Ectopic pregnancy symptoms can resemble signs of other diseases such as appendicitis, a gastrointestinal disorder, urinary system disorder, as well as pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynecological problems.

Symptoms of miscarriage often are similar to symptoms experienced in early ectopic pregnancy.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

I will write more about nutrition pregnancy and beyond soon, as I feel I only scratched the surface.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments – leave them for me below in the Comments section.

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