Category Archives: Pregnancy Complications

Mar 31 2012

Ectopic Pregnancy – Understanding the Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Ectopic pregnancy refers to the syndrome when pregnancy does not happen inside the uterus as it should, but rather in another female organ. it just initiates itself as a normal pregnancy. The fertilized egg gets implanted exterior to the female uterus. The problem with this kind of a pregnancy is that since the zygote is placed outside the uterus, how it will receive the nutrients for its growth. so, the zygote does not have much scope for its growth and due to lack of proper nutrition it will just die after some time. moreover, it cannot expand beyond a certain size due to lack of space in the organ. Therefore, it will just destroy the organ that it has inhabited.

Since the organ gets damaged, the expecting mother can face a lot of complications like internal bleeding which can also prove to be lethal. This kind of a pregnancy is also known as tubal pregnancy because it happens generally inside the fallopian tubes. but, the zygote can also get positioned in the ovaries of a female or her abdomen. Medication and surgical intervention are the right ways to cure ectopic pregnancy. If they are not, given on time, then this pregnancy can also lead to the death of the mother.

However, with technological advancement, detection of this pregnancy is not as tough as before. However, this kind of a pregnancy does have some different symptoms, which are paleness, increase in the pulse rate and a fall in the blood pressure.

This kind of a disorder has symptoms similar to a normal pregnancy. Therefore, it is not easy to diagnose it. but, it can cause the female a pain in her pelvic area. The cause of this pregnancy is the lack of capacity on the part of the zygote due to which it moves from the uterus into the fallopian tubes. The reason for such erratic behavior of the zygote is the presence of disease called inflammatory disorder of the pelvis. another reason is the presence of scar tissue on fallopian tubes, which can also lead to such an abnormal zygote movement. The best way to find about this kind of a pregnancy is to take the expecting mother for an ultrasound.

It can only tell the difference between the size of the womb of a normal and an ectopic pregnancy. The urine pregnancy tests are positive in this kind of a pregnancy, but the HCG hormone levels have not increased like a normal pregnancy. This hormone is, generated by placenta and its levels increase quickly in the first months of pregnancy.

In addition, a female who has suffered from an ectopic pregnancy does not have much chance of conceiving. these chances depend on the damage inflicted by the pregnancy. The body can, be made to soak up the fetus medically if it is, discovered in time. However, in case of late discovery, a surgical removal of the fetus is the only alternative left.

The diagnosis of such a pregnancy is, made through blood or urine tests in the initial stages.

Mar 31 2012

What is Ectopic Pregnancy and Why is it So Dangerous?

There are many things that women find themselves worrying about when they learn that they are pregnant. It's true that there are many complications that can happen during pregnancy such as gestational diabetes or problems regulating blood pressure. However, early after finding out she is pregnant, one of the very first complications that can happen is that a woman finds out she actually is experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.

The simple definition of an ectopic pregnancy is when the embryo implants itself outside of their uterus. The only place that's safe and healthy for an embryo to implant is on the uterine wall. Therefore, ectopic pregnancies are not viable and can present a danger to the mother. for example, internal bleeding is one complication that commonly happens if a woman does not terminate the ectopic pregnancy in time.

Most ectopic pregnancies actually occur inside of the fallopian tube. this type of pregnancy is commonly called a tubal pregnancy. However, there are other areas that embryos have been known to implant such as the abdomen, cervix, and ovaries. An ectopic pregnancy is an emergency situation and must be treated quickly. It can be a fatal condition if a woman does not have it treated in time.

If left untreated, about half of the ectopic pregnancies will actually resolve without any treatment whatsoever. However, it is too dangerous to believe that an ectopic pregnancy will treat itself. A woman should definitely seek medical counsel to find out whether or not she needs a particular medication that can reduce the chance that she would have to have surgery. some women end up losing one of their tubes if the embryo is implanted there and they have waited too long to seek medical assistance.

An interesting thing to note is that although an ectopic pregnancy is normally not viable, there have been rare instances where live baby has been delivered as a result of an abdominal one. this typically means that the placenta sat on the abdominal organs and was able to somehow get a good blood supply. However, this puts a great as risk on the mother's life because the placenta has commonly attached to her internal organs and can cause major hemorrhage and bleeding after the baby is removed.

Mar 28 2012

What is Endometriosis and How Does it Affect My Ability to Get Pregnant?

If you are enduring or have suffered from Endometriosis at some point in your life, you may be concerned about your ability to conceive and carry your pregnancy without complications. being aware about endometriosis and pregnancy, and seeking suitable treatments for it are among the many positive steps that you can take to improve your health and chances of conception.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a prevailing condition affecting millions of women all over the world. Around 15 % of women and girls in the United States and Canada are affected, and there are over 2 million reported cases of endometriosis in the United Kingdom. Endometriosis causes small deposits of the endometrial material, which lines the uterus, to lodge in the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, abdominal cavity and other organs in the lower abdomen. these deposits of endometrial tissue grow and bleed in response to the normal hormonal changes that take place during your monthly menstrual cycle. As the endometrial tissue bleeds, it causes inflammation. the resulting inflammation causes scarring and blood-filled cysts to form around the uterus, ovaries and Fallopian tubes. these cysts and scarring can lower a woman's fertility by preventing the passage of the egg from the ovary to the Fallopian tubes. many women that suffer from endometriosis experience discomfort.

The medical community divides the severity and diagnosis of endometriosis into four stages:

* Stage 1: Endometriosis in stage one is classified as minimal - there are isolated incidents of endometrial tissue growth outside the uterus. * Stage 2: Endometriosis in stage two is considered mild - a doctor makes this diagnosis when there are several small implants of endometrial tissue and a few small areas of scar tissue or adhesions. * Stage 3: Stage the endometriosis is moderate - the endometrial tissue implants in stage three must be superficial and deep. There must also be several prominent areas of scar tissue or adhesions. * Stage 4: this is the most severe stage of endometriosis - Patients with stage 4 endometriosis will have many superficial and deep endometrial tissue implants as well as large adhesions. Endometriosis symptoms including infertility are common in patients with stage four endometriosis.

What causes endometriosis?

Modern medicine has been unable to conclusively diagnose the exact cause of endometriosis; however there are a few theories which can help to explain why endometriosis occurs. one explanation for endometriosis is 'retrograde menstruation' in which some menstrual tissue "backs up" into the Fallopian tubes during menstruation and imbeds itself in the abdomen. if the immune system does not clear up the endometrial tissue, it begins to grow in response to the body's normal hormonal changes. another theory explains endometriosis as a dysfunction of the lymphatic system, and suggests that the condition is genetic. another theory states that endometriosis is caused by the retention of fragments of embryonic tissue from when the woman was in utero.

Endometriosis and Pregnancy

Advances endometriosis can result it problems with fertility and conception because of the damage that it caused on the reproductive organs. Women with mild cases of endometriosis are less likely to experience problems with fertility and conception. Dr. Karen Trewinnard, in her work on fertility and conception, says that many women have had endometriosis without any ill effects, and that about 7 out of 10 women with endometriosis don't have fertility problems, or are able to conceive with the help of natural remedies. Dr Trewinnard goes on to discuss that women who suffer from endometriosis may be less likely to conceive because they avoid sex around the time of their ovulation, which is when the pain can be most severe.

Endometriosis often dramatically improves during pregnancy because ovulation ceases, and the deposits of endometrial tissue are able to shrink, or even breakdown completely. Women, with endometriosis, who breastfeed after pregnancy, have a higher improvement rates because there is no ovulation during breast feeding.