How does ectopic pregnancy manifest itself? Know the symptoms early

An ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition. Yet many women don't know what symptoms it has, how a pregnancy test or menstrual cycle responds to it. To learn more not only about it, but also about possible treatment and surgery, read on.

Ectopic pregnancy, as ectopic pregnancy is technically called, can have various manifestations.

It is among the most common causes of fetal demise in early pregnancy. Therefore, ectopic pregnancy should be thought of in any woman of childbearing age who has experienced certain symptoms.

Abdominal pain in ectopic pregnancy occurs in about 90% of cases. Other symptoms include absence of menstrual cycle, heavy but also light vaginal bleeding.

Early detection of this disorder is extremely important. It affects not only the health and life of the woman, but also subsequent complications and further pregnancies.

Read also the articles:

Pain during menstruation

Bleeding outside the menstrual cycle

Excessive bleeding during menstruation

Ovulation and fertilization of the egg by sperm

Ovulation is the process when a mature egg is released from a woman's ovary. It usually occurs between the 10th and 14th day of the menstrual cycle.

This egg is captured by the fallopian tube. In the presence of sperm (male sex cells), they fuse together. This creates an embryo and then an embryo. The fertilised egg travels further down the fallopian tube to the uterus where it nests. Here it has suitable conditions for further development.

Ovulation occurs once a month. A woman's egg is able to be fertilised within 12 hours of ovulation. The life span of the sperm and its ability to fertilise the egg is approximately 24 to 48 hours after sexual intercourse.

Read more in the article.

What is an ectopic pregnancy

It is a condition in which a fertilized egg nestles outside the uterus. In most cases, it is in the fallopian tube. However, it can also be in the ovary, cervix, as well as the abdominal cavity.

In these places, however, the conditions are not suitable for the development of the fetus. Therefore, often such pregnancies end in its death.

This condition also poses a relatively high risk to the mother. Ectopic pregnancy is considered a serious disorder involving a risk to the mother.

At present, ectopic pregnancies account for about 2 % of all pregnancies. However, according to experts, their incidence is on the increase.

What is the risk of ectopic pregnancy?

The most common complication and risk is bleeding or disruption of the surrounding structures. There is a risk of rupture of the fallopian tube, bleeding into the abdominal cavity or inflammation.

The threat and severity depends, of course, on the location of the nested fetus and the time it took to diagnose the condition.

Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

In the early days, the condition manifests itself as a normal pregnancy. After fertilization and the egg has nested, the expected menstrual period is usually not likely to occur. Subsequently, morning sickness, indigestion, mood changes or breast tenderness may be added.

Since the egg has been fertilised and nested, it begins to produce the pregnancy hormone hCG. This appears first in the blood and later in the woman's urine. Therefore, even in an ectopic pregnancy, the pregnancy test is positive.

Read more about the signs of pregnancy in the article: First signs of pregnancy. How to recognize them?

Usually sometime between the 6th and 10th week after the egg has nested, pain in the lower abdomen appears. It can be severe and crampy. Often bleeding of varying intensity is also present.

If the surrounding structures are disturbed or the ovary ruptures, the pain is intense. Pallor or disturbances of consciousness may occur .

Weaker bleeding or spotting is common when the embryo is nesting. This phenomenon is natural and does not endanger the health of the expectant mother. However, if there is severe pain, bleeding and any doubt, you should contact your doctor to rule out a possible ectopic pregnancy.

Possible symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

• pain in the lower abdomen
• vaginal bleeding of weaker or heavier intensity
• Pallor
• rapid pulse
• collapse states
• disturbances of consciousness

Only rarely does an ectopic pregnancy proceed without symptoms. However, there are cases where such a pregnancy is only detected by examination by a gynaecologist.

Causes of ectopic pregnancy

The causes of ectopic pregnancy can be varied. It affects mostly women in their first pregnancy. Various inflammatory diseases of the pelvis, conditions after fallopian tube surgery or various developmental abnormalities of the ovaries are common contributing factors.

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy

• Age over 35 years
• Smoking
• pelvic inflammatory disease
• condition after fallopian tube surgery
• narrowed fallopian tubes by post-inflammatory adhesions
• functional disorders of the fallopian tubes
• congenital malformations of the fallopian tubes and uterus
• history of ectopic pregnancy
• history of spontaneous abortion
• single component hormonal contraceptives containing only the hormone progesterone

What is the treatment for ectopic pregnancy?

After your doctor has determined the location of the egg and made a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, you will most likely face surgery. The fetus does not have the right conditions outside the uterus for its further development. It also endangers the mother and must therefore be surgically removed.

The procedure and the type of surgery depends mainly on where the fertilised egg is located. In most cases, laparoscopic surgery is performed. It is a gentle type of surgery that is carried out using instruments, only through small incisions.

How to proceed after an ectopic pregnancy surgery?

This condition and the subsequent surgery is, for obvious reasons, a burden for the woman, not only physically but also psychologically.

Changes begin to happen in the woman's body just as they do with any other pregnancy. At the very first suspicion and thought of pregnancy, a whole range of thoughts, excitement, and expectations emerge. Hormones begin to prepare the woman's body for the long and arduous process called pregnancy.

The sudden information of an ectopic pregnancy is therefore painful and disheartening. The woman has to cope with the fact that the incipient pregnancy has no chance of developing further. Fear for her own health is also present.

After undergoing an ectopic pregnancy, it is necessary to have sufficient time to heal not only the physical but also the mental wounds.

How long is the recovery period after surgery?

After laparoscopic surgery, the scars on the abdomen are smaller, the hospital stay is shorter and the recovery is faster.

Bleeding after surgery lasts a few days. However, it should not last longer than menstrual bleeding.

The menstrual bleeding itself should appear in 4-6 weeks. If the cycle was regular before pregnancy, it is likely to continue to be so.

The wounds on the soul take longer to heal. They are also associated with fear of the course of the next pregnancy.

There is no evidence that early pregnancy increases the risk of having another ectopic pregnancy. However, when planning another pregnancy, it is better to consult your doctor. Also consult if you have been taking any medications.

If a woman has overcome such a pregnancy in the past, the risk that the next one will be ectopic increases by about 10%.

Artificial insemination after an ectopic pregnancy

If your fallopian tube has been damaged after an ectopic pregnancy, artificial insemination may be a suitable solution for your planned pregnancy. In this procedure, the egg is removed directly from the ovary, the sperm from the ejaculate, and after fertilisation, the embryo is inserted directly into the uterus after about 5 to 6 days.

In this way, the embryo avoids travelling through an impassable or narrowed fallopian tube. The risk of further ectopic pregnancies is therefore largely avoided.

Do not hesitate to consult your gynaecologist about these and other measures and options