Ectopic Pregnancy
In this condition factsheet:
Diagnosing Ectopic Pregnancy
The doctor will do a pelvic examination, blood tests, and ultrasound to check for an ectopic pregnancy. If your blood or urine tests show you're pregnant, but your uterus isn't getting bigger, you may have an ectopic pregnancy. Blood tests that show low levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a slower than usual rise in hCG can point to an ectopic pregnancy.
An ultrasound scan will then be done to see if the uterus is empty. The scan can also show blood in the abdominal or pelvic cavities. A fibre-optic tube attached to a camera called a laparascope can be inserted through the abdomen to allow the doctor to look inside the uterus.
Treating and Preventing Ectopic Pregnancy
If an ectopic pregnancy occurs, the doctor must remove the fetus and placenta from the fallopian tube or other area where it has become implanted. This may be done by using the medication methotrexate or laparoscopic surgery.
The medication methotrexate is used to treat early tubal pregnancies in cases where the ectopic pregnancy is believed to be at a low risk of rupturing. It causes the pregnancy to break down and be reabsorbed. Methotrexate is successful in over 85% of cases.
Laparoscopic surgery is also used as a treatment option for ectopic pregnancy if the woman's health is unstable, if there are reasons not to use methotrexate, or in cases of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies, later-term tubal pregnancies, or tubal pregnancies where there is a significant risk of rupture. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a thin tube through small incisions into the abdominal cavity. The tube has a camera and surgical instruments attached to it.
If the pregnancy is in the fallopian tube, the tube is cut and left to heal naturally, so that scar tissue from the wound doesn't block the fallopian tube. A blocked fallopian tube can make it difficult for a woman to have another baby. In many cases, the fallopian tube must be removed because it's been severely damaged as a result of the ectopic pregnancy. A woman with only one fallopian tube can still become pregnant. If there has been severe bleeding, a blood transfusion may be needed.
While it is not possible to prevent all forms of ectopic pregnancy, there are a few things you can do to reduce your risk of a tubal ectopic pregnancy (an ectopic pregnancy occurring in the fallopian tube), which is the most common type of ectopic pregnancy. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are frequent causes of tubal ectopic pregnancies. Both are preventable. Talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your risk of PID and STIs, such as using condoms and quickly seeking treatment for any infections of the genitals, abdomen, or bladder areas.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Ectopic-Pregnancy
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