ectopic pregnancy symptoms and other important information!

Ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg stays in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, a condition that may pose a risk to the mother's health.

Here are the most important information you need to know about ectopic pregnancy:

What is ectopic pregnancy?

Ectopic pregnancy is also called ectopic pregnancy and occurs when the fertilized egg grows outside the uterine cavity, often in the fallopian tube.

Most of the time ectopic pregnancy is detected in the first weeks of pregnancy, and sometimes the woman does not even know she is pregnant.

A child cannot survive such a pregnancy, this pregnancy is difficult to deal with. However, this does not mean that the same woman will not be properly and naturally pregnant in the future.

Types of ectopic pregnancies.

There are several types of ectopic pregnancy, which are distinguished from each other by the location of the pregnancy, i.e. the location of the fertilized egg, namely:

1. Tubular pregnancy.

It occurs within the fallopian tubes and accounts for 98% of ectopic pregnancies, and occurs in the fallopian tubes.

It is a serious condition that may lead to internal bleeding and possibly death if treatment is not done as soon as possible, and the survival rate of the foetus is zero.

2. Non-tubular pregnancy.

It occurs either in the cervix, in the ovary or in the abdominal cavity and accounts for only 2% of ectopic pregnancies.

The fetus may survive and grow normally in a few cases where the placenta adheres to the abdominal wall and the fetus finds its food, but in the majority of cases, the fetus must be surgically removed because it has no way of abortion with medication.

3. Double pregnancy.

It is where two eggs are fertilized, one of which is naturally implanted into the uterine cavity, while the other remains in the fallopian tubes.

Tube pregnancy is usually detected and removed, without detecting intrauterine pregnancy as the condition is confusing because it is too early to detect the pregnancy bag by ultrasound.

Thus, the embryo outside the uterus may be removed and the healthy embryo remains to be detected later.

Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy.

Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy are different from the symptoms and signs of normal pregnancy, here are the most important symptoms:

Light bleeding from the vagina.
Nausea and vomiting.
Severe abdominal pain.
pain on one side of the body.
Dizziness or weakness.
Pain in: shoulders, neck or anus.

In the event of a rupture of the fallopian tubes, the pain and bleeding may be strong enough to cause fainting, these symptoms require urgent medical treatment, as rapid access to the hospital may stop bleeding and preserve fertility in the future.

Causes of ectopic pregnancy.

One of the reasons for an ectopic pregnancy is damage to the fallopian tube, resulting in the fertilized egg not reaching the uterus, so the egg will stick to the fallopian tube or elsewhere.

The overall causes of ectopic pregnancy are still not known, but the reasons known so far are:

1- Damage to horns (fallopian tubes).

There may be a decrease in the number of cilia in the fallopian tube or damage to it, so the transfer of the fertilized egg to the uterine cavity is not possible so that it remains in the trumpet and implanted there.

2- Pelvic inflammatory disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease causes scar tissue to form within the fallopian tubes, causing a partial blockage that hinders the movement of the fertilized egg and is implanted there.

3- Uterine adhesions.

Uterine adhesions lead to ectopic pregnancy in the cervix, although severe adhesion leads to tubular ectopic pregnancy.

4- Abrasing and expansion processes.

Abrasions and enlargements (i.e. uterine cleansing) may lead to scar tissue in the uterus, horns and genitals, which in turn leads to uterine adhesions or ectopic pregnancies due to blockage of the uterine cavity.

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy.

Although the causes of ectopic pregnancy are not yet known, there are many known factors that increase its risk:

The use of iUD as a protective device to prevent pregnancy during fetal development.
Pelvic inflammatory disease in the past.
Sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Congenital malformation in the trumpet.
Previous pelvic surgery (the operation may leave scars that block the way the fertilized egg exits the tuba).
Previous ectopic pregnancy.
An unsuccessful process for connecting the fallopian tubes or cancelling the fallopian tube connection.
Use of fertility medications.
Fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Once the woman arrives at the hospital, the following tests are performed:

Pregnancy test.
Pelvic exam.
Ultrasound scans in order to check the position of the uterus and tuba.

Treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

Once the diagnosis is obtained, the doctor decides on the possibilities of continuing treatment, taking into account the woman's medical status and plans for continuing her pregnancy and there are the following possibilities:

1- If the doctor suspects that there is a rupture dislocated of the horn.

Emergency surgery is performed to stop the bleeding. In some cases, the ovary may be damaged to such an extent that it has to be removed.

2. If the horn is not ruptured and the pregnancy is in early stages.

This is what is usually done in this case:

Laparoscopic surgery to remove the fetus. The laparoscopic is a thin and flexible device inserted through small incisions in the abdomen, then a small incision is made in the tubule to insert the endoscope and remove the fetus while maintaining the integrity of the fallopian tube.
The use of medications to stop the growth and development of pregnancy tissue. This option may be appropriate if there is no rupture of the horn and the pregnancy is not in advanced stages.