Signs And Symptoms Of An Ectopic Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you might be concerned about the viability of your fetus. It can be scary to weather through the first few months of pregnancy not knowing what the outcome will be. If you are experiencing what you think might be signs of an ectopic pregnancy, it is important that you talk to your doctor immediately. Here is some information that you might find useful as to what the signs of an ectopic pregnancy really are.

What Is An Ectopic Pregnancy?

An ectopic or tubal pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself in any place that is not the uterus. This can be in the fallopian tube, the ovary, the abdomen, the cervix, or the cornua. In all cases, the fetus is unfortunately not viable. Leaving an ectopic pregnancy untreated could result in death.

Symptoms Of An Ectopic Pregnancy

There are many signs of an ectopic pregnancy that you should be aware of. There are three ways that an ectopic pregnancy will be noticed. First and most dangerous is when a ruptured ectopic pregnancy occurs. Without warning a woman will feel very sick and will most likely collapse. She may or may not have known that she was pregnant. If not, a pregnancy test will be done at the hospital and the diagnosis will be made through ultrasound. When a ruptured ectopic pregnancy occurs, the rupture will be bleeding into the abdomen and emergency surgery is necessary.

The second sign of an ectopic pregnancy might present itself through prior knowledge. Many women know that they are at risk for ectopic pregnancy and can notice signs of an ectopic pregnancy right away. Women who have had pelvic inflammatory diseases, women with blocked fallopian tubes, and women who have already had an ectopic pregnancy will be carefully watched so that any ectopic pregnancy that might occur will be caught immediately before it ruptures.

The third way that women begin to see signs of an ectopic pregnancy is by far the most common scenario. A woman misses her period and gets a positive pregnancy test. Things seem to be going fine until she starts having some abdominal pain or cramping that is usually isolated to one side of her body. She might experience some irregular vaginal bleeding, fainting, and or shoulder pain. When she goes to the doctor, he or she does an ultrasound and these symptoms are identified as signs of an ectopic pregnancy.

If you are experiencing any of these signs of an ectopic pregnancy, talk to your doctor immediately.