What are ectopic pregnancies? And the symptoms?

Question

Thanks :)

Answer 1

Ectopic usually means it being the egg implanted itself  somewhere outside of the uterus. Which means it could be in your abdomen, your fallopian tube, r****m, Just not where it is supposed to be.

Some symptoms of it are really sharp pains in your lower abdomen or back, bleeding that continues for a long time (which usually means a rupture) Very strong cramps, um these are the few that I can think of right now. You should really look it up or ask a doctor. They are very dangerous if you have it and don't get treated for it.

27 weeks with baby boy had really good info!

Answer 2

An ectopic pregnancy is usually (95% of cases) when the egg has been fertilized in the fallopian tube and the pregnancy is developing there. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done to save the pregnancy but if caught early you have a better chance at causing less harm to the tube itself.

Some symptoms are similar to that of a suspected miscarriage with cramping, light bleeding. Other symptoms are one sided pain in lower abdomen, feeling faint, blood in stools, and shoulder tip pain.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

I have had an ectopic pregnancy, so I hope I am able to help you. An ectopic pregnancy is when a baby tries to grow in your fallopian tube. It is also known as an tubular pregnancy. The symptoms for me were hurting in my right side, down my right leg, and in my lower back. I finally went to the emergency room. The doctor there said if I had waited just one more day, then I would have died on them. Luckily, they were able to remove the ectopic pregnancy and save my tube. Now, I am happy to say, I am expecting a baby girl in just two months. I hope my answer helps you.

Answer 4

An ectopic pregnancy is when the fetus implants somewhere other than the uterus.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ectopic_pre...

The early signs are:

Pain in the lower abdomen, and inflammation (Pain may be confused with a strong stomach pain, it may also feel like a strong cramp)

Pain while urinating

Pain and discomfort, usually mild. A corpus luteum on the ovary in a normal pregnancy may give very similar symptoms.

Vaginal bleeding, usually mild. An ectopic pregnancy is usually a failing pregnancy and falling levels of progesterone from the corpus luteum on the ovary cause withdrawal bleeding. This can be indistinguishable from an early miscarriage or the 'implantation bleed' of a normal early pregnancy.

Pain while having a bowel movement

Patients with a late ectopic pregnancy typically experience pain and bleeding. This bleeding will be both vaginal and internal and has two discrete pathophysiologic mechanisms.

External bleeding is due to the falling progesterone levels.

Internal bleeding (hematoperitoneum) is due to hemorrhage from the affected tube.

The differential diagnosis at this point is between miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and early normal pregnancy. The presence of a positive pregnancy test virtually rules out pelvic infection as it is rare indeed to find pregnancy with an active Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). The most common misdiagnosis assigned to early ectopic pregnancy is PID.

More severe internal bleeding may cause:

Lower back, abdominal, or pelvic pain.

Shoulder pain. This is caused by free blood tracking up the abdominal cavity, and is an ominous sign.

There may be cramping or even tenderness on one side of the pelvis.

The pain is of recent onset, meaning it must be differentiated from cyclical pelvic pain, and is often getting worse.

Ectopic pregnancy can mimic symptoms of other diseases such as appendicitis, other gastrointestinal disorder, problems of the urinary system, as well as pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynaecologic problems.

Answer 5

Ectopic means "out of place." In an ectopic pregnancy, a fertilized egg has implanted outside the uterus. The egg settles in the fallopian tubes in more than 95% of ectopic pregnancies. This is why ectopic pregnancies are commonly called "tubal pregnancies." The egg can also implant in the ovary, abdomen, or the cervix, so you may see these referred to as cervical or abdominal pregnancies.

None of these areas has as much space or nurturing tissue as a uterus for a pregnancy to develop. As the fetus grows, it will eventually burst the organ that contains it. This can cause severe bleeding and endanger the mother's life. A classical ectopic pregnancy does not develop into a live birth.

Signs and Symptoms

Ectopic pregnancy can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms often mirror those of a normal early pregnancy. These can include missed periods, breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, or frequent urination.

The first warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy are often pain or vaginal bleeding. You might feel pain in your pelvis, abdomen, or, in extreme cases, even your shoulder or neck (if blood from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy builds up and irritates certain nerves). Most women describe the pain as sharp and stabbing. It may concentrate on one side of the pelvis and come and go or vary in intensity.

Any of the following additional symptoms can also suggest an ectopic pregnancy:

vaginal spotting

dizziness or fainting (caused by blood loss)

low blood pressure (also caused by blood loss)

lower back pain

What Causes an Ectopic Pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy results from a fertilized egg's inability to work its way quickly enough down the fallopian tube into the uterus. An infection or inflammation of the tube might have partially or entirely blocked it. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can be caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia, is a common cause of blockage of the fallopian tube.

Endometriosis (when cells from the lining of the uterus implant and grow elsewhere in the body) or scar tissue from previous abdominal or fallopian surgeries can also cause blockages. More rarely, birth defects or abnormal growths can alter the shape of the tube and disrupt the egg's progress.

Diagnosis

If you arrive in the emergency department complaining of abdominal pain, you'll likely be given a urine pregnancy test. Although these tests aren't sophisticated, they are fast — and speed can be crucial in treating ectopic pregnancy.

If you already know you're pregnant, or if the urine test comes back positive, you'll probably be given a quantitative hCG test. This blood test measures levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is produced by the placenta and appears in the blood and urine as early as 8 to 10 days after conception. Its levels double every 2 days for the first several weeks of pregnancy, so if hCG levels are lower than expected for your stage of pregnancy, one possible explanation might be an ectopic pregnancy.

You'll probably also get an ultrasound examination, which can show whether the uterus contains a developing fetus or if masses are present elsewhere in the abdominal area. But the ultrasound might not be able to detect every ectopic pregnancy. The doctor may also give you a pelvic exam to locate the areas causing pain, to check for an enlarged, pregnant uterus, or to find any masses.

Even with the best equipment, it's hard to see a pregnancy less than 5 weeks after the last menstrual period. If your doctor can't diagnose ectopic pregnancy but can't rule it out, he or she may ask you to return every 2 or 3 days to measure your hCG levels. If these levels don't rise as quickly as they should, the doctor will continue to monitor you carefully until an ultrasound can show where the pregnancy is.

Options for Treatment

Treatment of an ectopic pregnancy varies, depending on how medically stable the woman is and the size and location of the pregnancy.

An early ectopic pregnancy can sometimes be treated with an injection of methotrexate, which stops the growth of the embryo.

If the pregnancy is further along, you'll likely need surgery to remove the abnormal pregnancy. In the past, this was a major operation, requiring a large incision across the pelvic area. This might still be necessary in cases of emergency or extensive internal injury.

However, the pregnancy may sometimes be removed using laparoscopy, a less invasive surgical procedure. The surgeon makes small incisions in the lower abdomen and then inserts a tiny video camera and instruments through these incisions. The image from the camera is shown on a screen in the operating room, allowing the surgeon to see what’s going on inside of your body without making large incisions. The ectopic pregnancy is then surgically removed and any damaged organs are repaired or removed.

Whatever your treatment, the doctor will want to see you regularly afterward to make sure your hCG levels return to z

Answer 6

It is a pregnancy that implants outside of the uterus . . . most commonly there is implantation in the fallopian tubes.  

Women experience sharp pain, cramping, spotting / bleeding, back pain, light headed . . .

If you think you are experiencing this, you need to see a doctor immediately.  An ectopic pregnancy is not viable and must be terminated before damage happens to the fallopian tubes that could impact your future fertility.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_n...