Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : October 9, 2014 5:13 PM IST
During pregnancy a fertilized egg would implant itself on the inner lining of the uterus as is the normal process. But in some rare cases the egg, instead of implanting itself into the uterus can get attached to some other part of the body. Such kind of pregnancy is termed as abnormal or ectopic pregnancy. Here's what you need to know about this unnatural pregnancy:
What is ectopic pregnancy?
In ectopic pregnancy a fertilized egg grows and develops elsewhere in the body other than the uterus. In most cases of ectopic pregnancies a fertilized egg would implant itself on the inner lining of the fallopian tube. Hence most ectopic pregnancies are also called as tubal pregnancies. However they can also happen in other locations of the body such as ovaries, cervix and the abdominal cavity. An ectopic pregnancy occurs in one out of 50 pregnancies.
Causes of ectopic pregnancy:
Though one cannot find a specific reason that causes an ectopic pregnancy, here are some pointers that can make one susceptible to the condition:
However, around one third of women with an ectopic pregnancy do not have any of these risk factors.
What are the complications related to it?
An ectopic pregnancy never progresses like a normal healthy pregnancy. Here's what can happen if you suffer from one:
How can one detect an ectopic pregnancy?
If you notice symptoms of ectopic pregnancy reach out to your doctor to confirm the doubt. Your doctor might ask you to perform the following tests to confirm the condition:
How is ectopic pregnancy treated?
Because the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy can be subtle and go unnoticed most of the time one might reach the hospital with a ruptured fallopian tube or internal bleeding. In such a case a medical surgery becomes inevitable. The main aim of the surgery is to stop the internal bleeding and remove the ruptured fallopian tube and the remnants of the pregnancy. The operation is often life-saving.
But if you reach the hospital before the rupture by picking up the signs early, then your treatment options would be the following:
Medical surgery: A laparoscopic surgery to remove the fallopian tube containing the fertilized egg. Though not every woman suffering from an ectopic pregnancy would need to undergo a surgery. A surgery is recommended if one tube is unhealthy with the impending pregnancy while the other is still healthy and functional.
Medications: Methotrexate is often given in the form of an injection. It works by killing the cells of the pregnancy growing in the fallopian tube. It is normally only advised if the pregnancy is very early. You would still need to be monitored closely with repeated blood tests to check for the hCG levels until they show a low reading confirming that the pregnancy has been terminated. Methotrexate can cause side-effects which include nausea and vomiting in some women. It can be common for some abdominal pains to develop 3-7 days after having methotrexate.
The wait and watch approach: Not all ectopic pregnancies are life threatening. Some might just end on its own and need no further medical attention.
References:
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