Ectopic Pregnancy Pregnancy takes place when an egg travels out of the ovaries and down one of the fallopian tubes joins with a sperm, becomes fertilized, then travels to the uterus where it grows for the remainder of the pregnancy. However, there are times where the fertilized egg does not make it to the uterus to grow and instead it begins to grow elsewhere, this is called an Ectopic Pregnancy. Ectopic Pregnancy basically means “an out-of-place pregnancy”. About 1-2% of pregnancies are ectopic. In most cases (97%) Ectopic pregnancy occurs in the fallopian tube, this can also be called a Tubal pregnancy. In rare cases the ectopic pregnancy can take place in more dangerous areas such as the cervix, the ovaries, the cornua, or any other organ
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Also other cause could be that the fertilized egg itself had abnormal development, or it could just occur because of a hormonal imbalance. The Cause of ectopic pregnancy might not always be clear (40% have no known cause) however there are things that put you more at risk to have one. These things include previous ectopic pregnancy ( 7% of women with ectopic pregnancy have had an ectopic pregnancy before), STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea), inflammation/infection, history of pelvic inflammatory disease or pelvic surgery, birth control including IUD and tubal ligation, fertility drugs, even smoking increases your risk of ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy mostly start as normal pregnancy symptoms, tender breasts, missed period, or nausea. When you know something is wrong and you should report to the doctor is when more serious signs start to begin such as abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, dizziness, neck or shoulder pain, or feeling as if you need to have a bowel movement (This could mean the fallopian tube has ruptured and you are likely to have internal abdominal bleeding). The symptoms following could include shock, becoming lightheaded or …show more content…
The pelvic exam is meant to feel if there are any abnormalities in the pelvic area or if they can feel a mass in the fallopian tube. Also to see if you are reactive or tender when pressure is applied to certain areas. Then they will most likely perform an ultrasound to confirm the ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes it is too early in pregnancy to determine by ultrasound so the doctor would have to perform a series of blood test to know for
Also other cause could be that the fertilized egg itself had abnormal development, or it could just occur because of a hormonal imbalance. The Cause of ectopic pregnancy might not always be clear (40% have no known cause) however there are things that put you more at risk to have one. These things include previous ectopic pregnancy ( 7% of women with ectopic pregnancy have had an ectopic pregnancy before), STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea), inflammation/infection, history of pelvic inflammatory disease or pelvic surgery, birth control including IUD and tubal ligation, fertility drugs, even smoking increases your risk of ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy mostly start as normal pregnancy symptoms, tender breasts, missed period, or nausea. When you know something is wrong and you should report to the doctor is when more serious signs start to begin such as abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, dizziness, neck or shoulder pain, or feeling as if you need to have a bowel movement (This could mean the fallopian tube has ruptured and you are likely to have internal abdominal bleeding). The symptoms following could include shock, becoming lightheaded or …show more content…
The pelvic exam is meant to feel if there are any abnormalities in the pelvic area or if they can feel a mass in the fallopian tube. Also to see if you are reactive or tender when pressure is applied to certain areas. Then they will most likely perform an ultrasound to confirm the ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes it is too early in pregnancy to determine by ultrasound so the doctor would have to perform a series of blood test to know for