Ectopic pregnancy: causes, symptoms, treatment

Pregnancy is almost always a positive and rewarding experience. Why almost? Because it is not always normal. Ectopic pregnancy - why it occurs and what can serve as a provocateur for its onset, how the subsequent pregnancy proceeds after an ectopic pregnancy - we will talk about all this today.

In general, an ectopic pregnancy is quite a rare occurrence, and according to statistics, about 4% of the total number of women have such a pathology. However, in the modern world, the number of victims of it is steadily growing. An ectopic pregnancy is very dangerous, therefore, at the slightest symptoms of its onset, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Causes of an ectopic pregnancy

The causes of an ectopic pregnancy can be:

• Postponed or chronic diseases of the uterus, as well as its appendages, bladder. Inflammatory processes occurring in the tubes and ovaries, which are usually the result of abortion and difficult childbirth. They can cause the pipes to be soldered, making them impassable.
• Any intervention of surgeons associated with the uterus and its appendages in the future can cause an ectopic pregnancy.
• Underdeveloped tubes that are congenital. They cannot function fully, having too much tortuosity, which becomes a serious obstacle to the passage of the egg.
• Hormonal disruptions in the body can contribute to narrowing of the tubes and transformation of the prestalica. As a rule, this is due to problems in the endocrine system. Some experts are of the opinion that this situation can occur due to the intake of hormonal drugs, including contraceptives (OK and spirals).
• Tumors, both benign and malignant, interfere with the patency of the tubes.

Ultimately, the egg, fertilized by the sperm, continues to develop, but due to the inability to reach the uterus, it is attached in the ovary, cervix, abdominal cavity, or in the horn. The situation when the egg "clings" to the fallopian tube is called tubal and occurs most often.

The lumen in the tubes of the uterus is all a few millimeters, sometimes 1.5 cm. They are very thin and delicate, not designed for stretching, unlike the uterus. When the fruit begins to grow, the tube begins to stretch with it, causing it to rupture. This is accompanied by severe abdominal hemorrhage. On the physical level, this is expressed by severe dizziness, sharp pains, lightheadedness and, often, complete loss of consciousness. In this case, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance in order to avoid serious blood loss. A slowdown in assistance will inevitably lead to the death of the victim.  

But ectopic pregnancy does not always end this way. For example, a fertilized egg can be thrown into the abdominal cavity. Physically, this will cause the same feeling of lightheadedness, headache, low blood pressure, spotting. A tubal abortion does not carry such serious consequences as ruptures, but if you do not seek help, this will increase the risk of developing purulent inflammation in the peritoneum.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

To begin with, any pain in the lower abdomen should make you worry, since this is the main symptom in the initial period. As a rule, pain is felt only on one side, where the affected tube is located. However, if the pregnancy occurs in the cervix, then the pain will come from the middle of the abdomen. Painful sensations intensify at the time of physical activity, any change in body position, when turning the body. The timing at which symptoms may occur directly depends on the location of the fetus.

With development in the area of ​​the widest, ampoule zone of the tube, pain does not bother until the 8th week. When placed in the narrowest place, pregnancy makes itself felt at 5-6 weeks. If the egg has become fixed in the ovaries or abdomen, then the condition will seem normal up to 14 weeks.

In some cases, blood loss during a cervical pregnancy can pose a serious danger to the victim, which will lead to the need to remove the entire uterus. Fortunately, this type of ectopic pregnancy is very rare.

Unlike normal pregnancies, ectopic pregnancies are characterized by decreased hormone production. It is impossible to determine the level of increased hormones on your own. Therefore, if you suspect an ectopic pregnancy, you should consult a doctor and take a hCG test. Any deviation from the norms, as in normal fertilization, will cause the doctor to be concerned about the patient's condition.

But the surest way to determine an ectopic pregnancy is still ultrasound. However, even with the help of it, it is very difficult to detect a fertilized egg, if it turned out to be in the appendages or the abdominal cavity. Identifying an ectopic pregnancy with a conventional test is problematic, and a little later we will tell you why. However, the totality of signs is already a reason for a full examination.

In general, even with the slightest suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy, it is advisable to do an ultrasound scan already at 3-4 weeks.

Early ectopic pregnancy

In the early stages, an ectopic pregnancy manifests itself in the form of spotting from the vagina. Abundant discharge of blood at an early stage may indicate the onset of cervical pregnancy. This is because the "adhesion" occurs in a place where a large number of blood vessels are located.

In general, it is very difficult to determine an ectopic pregnancy on your own in the early stages. Apart from primitive signals that can occur in a healthy state, there are no identifying marks. And obvious signs come already under critical circumstances, when urgent surgical intervention of doctors is required. That is why an ectopic pregnancy is considered very dangerous.

Do menstruation go with an ectopic pregnancy?

With an ectopic pregnancy, menstruation does not go. Many people take pseudo-menstrual periods for them, which are expressed in weak spotting already in the first week. Monitor your cycle and the volume of your blood, then you can easily identify any changes.

Also, changes in their color and consistency can be called a hallmark of menstruation. In this case, the discharge is darker and has the consistency of coffee grounds. However, if the fertilized egg has anchored in the place of accumulation of blood vessels, then "menstruation" will be very abundant.

Does the test show an ectopic pregnancy

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to this question. All pregnancy tests work on the principle of detecting the hCG hormone. The latter begins to stand out in both normal and ectopic pregnancy. But in the latter case, the increase in the hormone occurs with a delay of 1-2 weeks.

Therefore, with a delay of several days, the test will not reveal an ectopic pregnancy and will show a negative result. In the best case, at an early stage, the second test strip will show up very weakly, barely noticeable.

Ectopic pregnancy treatment

Treatment, or rather the elimination of an ectopic pregnancy, take place in an exclusively operable way. At the time of the operation, the doctor, without cutting the fallopian tube, extracts the ovum. Depending on the neglect of the case, the pipe can be removed partially or completely. It all depends on how long the egg has been developing in the “fixed” place and how badly the pipe walls have been damaged.

Modern medicine makes it possible to completely restore organs and their functions after an operable intervention. However, this requires timely seeking help from specialists in the early stages. For example, if 5-10 years ago the pipe was removed completely, now such a radical way is practically not used.

Operations take place both in the classical way, by making an incision in the anterior abdominal cavity, and in a more "cosmetic" way. The latter option is produced through the use of microinstruments. The doctor observes the process inside the patient through a monitor, which broadcasts everything that happens. This innovative approach minimizes the risk of serious damage to internal organs and complications that could lead to a recurrence of an ectopic pregnancy.

In severe, advanced cases, treatment is not limited to surgery. It is necessary to go through the introduction of a special intravenous solution using a dropper. Blood transfusion may be required if blood loss is profuse. Positive recovery in the postoperative period largely depends on how well the rehabilitation will be. This also includes the treatment of diseases that led to the onset of an ectopic pregnancy.

By the way, treatment may be required for both partners, since EB can occur due to weak sperm. In general, doctors give positive results in this regard.

Pregnancy after ectopic

Many women, after suffering stress in the form of losing a child, are concerned with the question of what are the chances of a new pregnancy and how great is the risk of recurrence. Everything is largely individual, but one thing can be said with certainty that there are chances, it's just that someone has more, someone has less.

If during the operation the doctor, in order to save the life of the pregnant woman, had to remove the uterus completely, then this, naturally, is a clear sign of an impossible subsequent pregnancy. And if the pipe is removed, even completely, then there is every chance of conceiving a baby, because the second remains intact.

However, the older a woman is, the less likely she is to have another normal pregnancy. Up to 30 years of age, the probability is higher, but after 35, even with a previously healthy body, there is a risk of ectopic conception.

With a new pregnancy, you should constantly be examined by a doctor, since the reproductive organs, although they are recovering after operations, can fail at any time.

One final tip: always keep a monthly calendar. From them you can determine the start and end date, calculate the cycle. Doctors complain that the majority of patients simply do not remember any dates, which is why they cannot distinguish bleeding from ordinary critical days.

Treat your body with special sensuality and care, and you will have the happiness of motherhood!