Ectopic Pregnancy - What are the Risks Involved?

During a normal pregnancy, a fertilised egg travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus. The egg attaches itself in the uterus and begins to develop. In an ectopic pregnancy, the egg attaches outside the uterus, most often in fallopian tube. This is the reason why it is also called a tubal pregnancy. In rare cases, the egg may implant itself in an ovary or the cervix.

There is no way to prevent an ectopic pregnancy. Also, it cannot be transformed into a normal pregnancy. If the egg continues developing in the fallopian tube, it can rupture the tube; the result of this could be fatal. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, you will require immediate treatment to end it before it causes any risks.

Risks involved: Things that make you more prone to an ectopic pregnancy are:

• The more you smoke, the higher your danger of an ectopic pregnancy.
• Pelvic incendiary malady (PID). This is the after effect of contamination, for example, chlamydia or gonorrhea.
• Endometriosis, which can bring about scar tissue in or around the fallopian tubes.
• Exposure to a chemical called DES before you conceived.

Symptoms: The signs of an ectopic pregnancy are:

• Pelvic pain. It might be sharp on one side at first before spreading through your belly. It might be more painful when you move or strain
• Vaginal bleeding

Diagnosis: To see whether you have an ectopic pregnancy, your specialist will probably take:

• A pelvic exam to check the span of your uterus and feel for any kind of growth in your tummy.
• A blood test that checks the level of the pregnancy hormone (hCG). This test is repeated 2 days after the fact. In early pregnancy, the level of this hormone duplicates itself every two days. Low levels recommend an issue, for example, ectopic pregnancy.
• An ultrasound. This test can demonstrate pictures of what is inside. With ultrasound, a specialist can more often than not see a pregnancy in the uterus 6 weeks after your last menstrual period.

Treatment: The most widely recognised treatments are medicines and surgery. As a rule, a specialist will treat an ectopic pregnancy immediately to prevent harm to the lady.
Prescription can be utilised if the pregnancy is discovered right on time, before the tube is harmed. Much of the time, one or more shots of methotrexate will end the pregnancy. Taking the shot gives you a chance to keep away from surgery; however, it can bring about reactions. You should see your specialist for follow-up blood tests to ensure that the shot worked.

For a pregnancy that has gone past the initial couple of weeks, surgery is a better option than medication. In this event, the surgery will be a laparoscopy. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.