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Dec 23 2011

Symptoms of an Ectopic Pregnancy

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Ectopic pregnancy refers to a fertilized egg that implants somewhere outside of the uterus. This is generally in the fallopian tube and is sometimes referred to as a tubal pregnancy. Certain women are at a higher risk for having an ectopic pregnancy than others.

An ectopic pregnancy can start out just like a normal pregnancy. You may have a positive pregnancy test, miss your period or have other normal pregnancy symptoms. Then again, you may not have a positive pregnancy test and you should seek immediate medical help if you experience any of the ectopic pregnancy symptoms.

Many women first experience abdominal pain that can be tender to the touch, sharp or sudden, persistent or intermittent, or it could be fairly mild. Symptoms can have a wide range from person to person. Some women only have pain on one side while others have it in their entire abdomen or pelvis.

Vomiting or nausea can occur. Spotting or vaginal bleeding is also normal. Pain generally gets more severe if you are active, sneezing, coughing or laughing.

If your fallopian tube has ruptured, then you could be in immediate life-threatening danger and you should call 911 immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms. Pain in your shoulder, especially when you lie down can be caused by internal bleeding. Lying down can wash the pooling blood up to your shoulder and put pressure on the nerves, causing pain.

This is a real emergency and you may not have much time to get medical help. Do not delay in calling 911 and never attempt to drive yourself if you experience this type of pain. You may go into shock and experience a weak or fast pulse. Your skin could become pale and clammy. You can get dizzy and find it hard to balance. You can feel faint or actually pass out. Any of these symptoms should tell you that you are in immediate danger and you should get help without delay.

Your chances of having an ectopic pregnancy are higher if you have an IUD, have had a previous ectopic pregnancy, if you have had any type of surgery in or around your fallopian tubes, if you have had a cesarean section or other abdominal surgery or if you have had any type of pelvic infection, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chlamydia or gonorrhea. Any surgeries or infections can make scar tissue grow in your fallopian tubes trapping a fertilized egg. IUD's and progestin-only birth control pills can make your uterus inhospitable to fertilized eggs and they may implant in your fallopian tube instead.

If you are at a higher risk for ectopic pregnancy, be very mindful of the symptoms so that you can seek medical help at the slightest signs of a problem.

Symptoms of an Ectopic Pregnancy

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Oct 27 2011

Ectopic Pregnancy – Ten Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

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An ectopic pregnancy, sometimes called a tubal pregnancy, happens when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the lining of the uterus. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube but other places where an ectopic can implant are the abdominal cavity, ovary or cervix. Ectopic pregnancies are sometimes difficult to diagnose. Symptoms are very similar to normal pregnancy symptoms and some women have no symptoms at all. When a pregnancy starts to develop somewhere other than the uterus there is no room for the placenta to attach or the pregnancy to grow and develop properly. A pregnancy that develops inside the fallopian tube will eventually rupture if left untreated. Complications from a ruptured tube can be life threatening. In fact, ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of maternal death in the first trimester. A ruptured tube is a medical emergency.

Here are ten ectopic pregnancy symptoms you should not ignore.

1. Vaginal spotting or bleeding: One of the first warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy is spotting or bleeding. Although bleeding in early pregnancy does not always mean there is something wrong with the pregnancy, if you have spotting or bleeding you should report this to your doctor. Some other causes of spotting during pregnancy are implantation bleeding, subchorionic hematoma, irritation of the cervix, or miscarriage.

2. Slow rising hCG levels: Your doctor may run a quantitative hCG test in early pregnancy if you are having vaginal spotting or if he suspects ectopic pregnancy. Slow rising hCG levels can be an indicator of an ectopic pregnancy. During a normal pregnancy, hCG levels will double every two to three days in early pregnancy. With an ectopic pregnancy, hCG levels may rise but they tend to go up very slowly and not double like they should. If your hCG levels are low or not doubling your doctor may order more blood work or an ultrasound to rule out ectopic pregnancy or other complications.

3. Cramping: Mild cramping during early pregnancy is normal, but severe cramping or cramping accompanied with spotting, is not normal and could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Cramping may be on one side or may feel like menstrual cramps.

4. Dizziness: Dizziness is another sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Dizziness may be a result of internal bleeding. Dizziness can also be caused by not eating enough, anemia, or not getting enough sleep.

5. Pain on one side: Pain on one side is something that you should alert your doctor about. Women may notice mild to severe abdominal pain located on one side. Not all women with ectopic pregnancies will notice pain. Once the tube has ruptured the pain will become more severe.

6: Rectal pressure, gas pain, or feeling constipated: Sometimes the pain from an ectopic can be mistaken for gas pain or constipation. If internal bleeding has occurred, this can put pressure on the rectal area and can be mistaken for gas pain or constipation. If you are having severe gas pain during early pregnancy don't dismiss this. Call your doctor.

7. Low blood pressure: If the ectopic pregnancy goes undiagnosed and there is internal bleeding, this can cause a woman's blood pressure to drop. She may feel short of breath, tired, or have a drop in blood pressure.

8. Shoulder pain: Shoulder pain may result after the ectopic pregnancy has ruptured. The internal bleeding caused from the rupturing may cause irritation of the nerves which results in shoulder pain. Shoulder pain is an indicator that the tube has already ruptured and if you notice shoulder pain, especially if it is accompanied with other ectopic pregnancy symptoms, you should get immediate medical attention.

9. Nausea: Nausea is also a symptom. Since morning sickness is very common during early pregnancy, this symptom may be hard to distinguish from normal pregnancy symptoms.

10. Shock: If the fallopian tube ruptures, a woman will have internal bleeding and may go into shock from all of the bleeding. Ectopic pregnancies can be life threatening. A ruptured tube will require hospitalization, surgery, and possibly a blood transfusion. If you have any symptoms of shock such as cold clammy skin, anxiety, dizziness, sweating, feeling weak, fainting, or having a rapid but weak pulse you should call 911 immediately.

Ectopic Pregnancy - Ten Symptoms You Should Not Ignore

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Sep 9 2011

Never Ignore Ectopic Pregnancy Symptoms – It is an Emergency

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Ectopic pregnancy symptoms start occurring when the egg is fertilized outside the uterus and the baby starts developing outside the womb. Most commonly, ectopic pregnancy occurs inside the fallopian tube, but in some cases, though quite rare, it occurs in the ovary or the stomach area. These are not normal kinds of pregnancies and should not be allowed to proceed further as they may cause permanent damage to the system.

The reason why an ectopic pregnancy takes place is due to a condition in which the passage of the fertilized egg through the fallopian tube is blocked or slowed down. This blockage may be physical and can occur due to some previous infections, surgery in the fallopian tube, and inflammation of the area or earlier ectopic pregnancy.

Symptoms To Watch Out For

Ectopic pregnancy symptoms are abdominal and are characterized by pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding. These are often confused with the pregnancy symptoms of miscarriage or pelvic inflammatory diseases. The best thing is to approach your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms as a delay in action might cause a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, which is a serious medical condition.

Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy

Common early symptoms of ectopic pregnancy include lightheadedness, dizziness, passing-out, sweating, and pale complexion, extreme and unbearable pain in pelvic area and/or stomach. You must go to your doctor if you experience any of these and undergo certain examinations which the doctor will perform on you. The doctor generally goes for a pelvic exam and ultrasound to determine enlargement of the uterus and the area affected by this kind of pregnancy. Blood hormone levels are also checked to see the changes.

If you are having any ectopic pregnancy symptom, it should be treated as an emergency as this type of pregnancy may rupture anytime and damage the fallopian tube permanently. Such pregnancies if diagnosed at early stages can be treated accordingly and the pregnancy can be terminated safely without damaging the tube. However, if it ruptures, surgery is the only option to save the patient's life.

With the advancement in medical science and technology, this kind of pregnancy can be terminated safely with a small surgery today and the woman can still hope to conceive and deliver a healthy child next time. Earlier, all of the fallopian tube used to be terminated and there was no chance for having a baby in the womb. Thanks to the medical advancements today, women who had such type of pregnancy once can dream to have a healthy pregnancy in the near future.

All women should be vigilant enough not to take signs of pregnancy lightly and start getting pre-natal care immediately. This way, she can recognize and tell her doctor about ectopic pregnancy symptoms, if any, at the earlier stages and get the condition treated properly without harming herself and her reproductive system.

Never Ignore Ectopic Pregnancy Symptoms - It is an Emergency

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