Ectopic Pregnancy - A Better Understanding

What Is Ectopic Pregnancy?

The dictionary definition of the word 'Ectopic' is an organ or body part existing in an unusual position or form. In simple terms, an ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy, which is developing in the wrong place. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg (or ovum) fails to move down the fallopian tube
and into the womb (or uterus) in the normal manner. Instead, the egg or ovum implants itself outside of the womb. Most often, (in 95% of cases), ectopic pregnancies develop in a fallopian tube and rarely, elsewhere in the abdominal cavity or pelvic area. For example, an egg can attach itself on an ovary, on the neck of the womb (cervix) or on another organ within the pelvic or abdominal area (1.5% abdominal, 0.5% ovarian & 0.03% cervical). Ectopic pregnancies do not usually survive and many will result in a spontaneous miscarriage, others will develop until a serious problem becomes apparent, which will require immediate medical attention.

What Causes An Ectopic Pregnancy?

Sometimes the ovum fails to implant itself and it becomes fertilized outside of the reproductive system. More commonly, the fertilized ovum is trapped, in the fallopian tube and the baby continues to grow inside the tube where it can cause the tube to burst or otherwise severely damage it. A burst tube is life threatening and requires urgent medical attention.

In many cases, ectopic pregnancies occur when the expectant mother has damaged fallopian tube(s). Tubes damaged, by infections such as pelvic inflammatory disease or by previous surgery, scar tissue, endometriosis or previous ectopic pregnancies are a high-risk factor, which significantly, increase the likelihood of a pregnancy being ectopic. Another risk factor associated with ectopic pregnancies is becoming pregnant, whilst using a contraceptive-coil or a progestogen only contraceptive pill. Pregnancies resulting from in vitro
fertilization (i.e. test-tube methods) can be ectopic - even though, the fertilized egg is placed directly into the womb, it may still attach itself elsewhere. In some cases, none of the above risk factors are present in the expectant mother.

What Are The Warning Signs Of An Ectopic Pregnancy?

Pain In the Abdomen - The first sign of an ectopic pregnancy can be a pain on one side of the abdomen. This pain can be constant and severe and its onset, sudden.

Pain in the Shoulder - An alternative warning sign could be a pain in the shoulder, which intensifies when breathing in and out.

Pain Using the Lavatory - If you suspect you are pregnant and experience pain during visits to the bathroom you should report this to your medical practitioner.

Other Warning Signs

Vaginal bleeding or unusual periods, lighter or heavier than normal, or a strange color etc

Sickness

Diarrhoea

Pallid complexion (paleness)

Light-headedness

Collapse

Increasing pulse rate

Falling blood pressure

Diagnosing An Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancies can be hard to detect as in many cases, the symptoms are no different from those of a normal, early pregnancy, i.e. tender breasts, nausea, vomiting, missed periods or frequent urination. If you are a sexually active woman of childbearing age and you experience symptoms of an early pregnancy plus any, of the above warning signs, of an ectopic pregnancy, contact your medical practitioner immediately.

A urine pregnancy test will usually be positive but is not always apparent. However, a specialized hCG blood test will always show a positive result. If a pregnancy is ectopic, the womb will often be smaller than the average womb at that stage of pregnancy and this will be detected during an internal pelvic examination. A doctor can sometimes detect a swelling, during an internal examination, which is evidence of an ectopic pregnancy existing.

An ultrasound scan will differentiate between a possible miscarriage, a normal pregnancy and an ectopic pregnancy.
The majority of women diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy will require surgical intervention and/or medication. In the worst-case scenario, without this intervention, an ectopic pregnancy can be fatal to the mother. Medical and technological advancements mean that ectopic pregnancies are easier to detect than ever before and therefore, they carry less risk than they did in previous years. Technological advancements have significantly improved the treatment of ectopic pregnancies - keyhole surgery is just one example of this.

It is vital to seek the opinion of a medical practitioner if you suspect you are carrying an ectopic pregnancy.

David Brewer is a pregnancy expert and owner of Facts-About-Pregnancy.com [http://www.facts-about-pregnancy.com] - A comprehensive online pregnancy resource center. Visit his blog for daily updates on all types of pregnancy topics - [http://www.facts-about-pregnancy.com/blog]

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Pregnancy Symptoms, Signs and Symptoms of Being Pregnant

EARLY PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS

Although a lot of women experience pregnancy symptoms, and find signs of being pregnant, other's don't "feel" pregnant. Certain signs and symptoms of being pregnant can be confused with other illnesses. The following list are some telltale symptoms of pregnancy. Morning sickness is one of the most common signs of being pregnant, but you also might be one of the lucky ones who never experience this pregnancy symptom. Missing a period is another sign and symptom of being pregnant. We'll go into greater detail below, and you can read below.

MISSING A PERIOD

One of the most common signs and symptoms of being pregnant, missing a period can also be caused by other reasons. Although missing a period is one of the most common of the pregnancy symptoms, stress, illness, weight fluctuations or coming off the oral contraceptive pill can also be the cause of this. Irregular periods are a common symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition in which periods can occur several months apart. If you still feel like you are experiencing other pregnancy symptoms, continue reading the other signs of being pregnant.

TENDERNESS OF THE BREAST

Another sign and symptom of pregnancy is the changing of size and feel of your breast. As early as a few days after conception, this pregnancy symptom may occur. Your breast is beginning to enlarge, as it gets ready for breastfeeding. Many women claim that their breasts are very sensitive and that they experience a very sharp, tingling sensation as well. Being one of the signs and symptoms of being pregnant, the tenderness of the breast often disappears a few weeks later.

NAUSEA AND VOMITING

Considered another one of the classic sign and symptoms of being pregnant, nausea and vomiting, (aka morning sickness) has become one of the most feared of all pregnancy symptoms. Feeling sick is a common complaint and is experienced by most women from weeks 5 to 6 of their pregnancy. However, morning sickness can also be felt as early as two weeks after conception. Morning sickness can occur at any time of the day, and can vary from an occasional faint sensation to overwhelming vomiting and nausea. By and large, morning sickness is one of the pregnancy symptoms that tends to disappear towards the end of the first trimester.

TIREDNESS

Many women experience fatigue as one of their pregnancy symptoms. Although this might be a sign of being pregnant, it can also indicate other things as well.

DARKENING OF THE AREOLA

Being one of the first physical symptoms of pregnancy, the darkening of the areola can occur throughout your entire pregnancy. If you notice the darkening of the areola, this could be considered one of the signs and symptoms of being pregnant.

FREQUENT URINATION

If you experience that you are urinating more frequently, this might be another of the pregnancy symptoms that confirm that you are pregnant. As early as two weeks after conception, you might find yourself experience this pregnancy symptom. The pressure of the literally reducing size of your bladder is the cause of this. Your uterus beings to rise up into the abdomen, and this annoying pregnancy symptom is the result. Rising levels of the pregnancy hormone progesterone stimulate the bladder muscles, so that it feels full, even though you might not need to urinate. Of all of the pregnancy symptoms, and signs of being pregnant, women sometimes find this to be the most annoying.

CHANGES IN TASTE AND SMELL

Don't be surprised if you experience this pregnancy sign and symptom. Many women claim that certain foods make them feel queasy - while others experience a craving for other foods. Another sign of this pregnancy symptom, is a strange metallic taste.

CONSTIPATION

Another of the annoying signs and symptoms of being pregnant, constipation occurs.

CONFIRMING YOUR PREGNANCY

Two weeks after conception, your baby is no bigger than a pinhead, comprised of a few balls of cells. As it begins to develop in the lining of the uterus, the placenta begins to form and produce necessary pregnancy hormones. Below are some ways to confirm that the pregnancy symptoms and signs of being pregnant that you have noticed are accurate, and that you will be having a baby.

HOME PREGNANCY TESTS

Being very accurate, these tests can be purchased at a local drugstore, and can confirm pregnancy by detecting the level of HCG in your urine. Your health care provider may rely on this test, and may only repeating testing if complications arise. If you receive a positive result, you may want to make an appointment with your doctor so that they can confirm you are pregnant and begin follow-up.

OFFICE URINE TEST

Similar to that of a home pregnancy test, and office urine test confirms pregnancy by also detecting the level of HCG in your urine. Being nearly 100% accurate, this test does not require you to urinate first thing in the morning. This type of test also can determine that the signs and symptoms of being pregnant hold true, and that your pregnancy symptoms are right.

PREGNANCY BLOOD TEST

In order to assist dating your pregnancy, your healthcare provider may also perform a pregnancy blood test. This particular pregnancy test can give you a positive or negative result, and once again detects the level of HCG. This time, it detects that level in your blood, and depending on your pregnancy symptoms, helps them determine what kind of care to give you. Pregnancy blood tests are useful if there are any concerns about miscarriage, or if there are indications that an unusual pregnancy is occurring.

INTERNAL EXAM

Four to six weeks after conception, your doctor can receive indefinite proof by examining you internally. Certain signs like the thickening of vaginal tissues and the softening of your uterus will confirm that the pregnancy symptoms are right on!

Brian Gardner is the Founder of PregnancyEtc.com - An Online Pregnancy Resource For 9 Months & Beyond. Having recently experienced pregnancy firsthand with his wife Shelly, Brian has dedicated his efforts towards pregnancy research. The development of http://www.pregnancyetc.com was to ensure that expecting parents had a place to find information on pregnancy and babies.

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Symptoms Of Early IVF pregnancy - Signs Of An In Vitro Pregnancy

Most of the women under in vitro pregnancy feel confused what would be their symptoms of early IVF pregnancy. Women, who do not conceive naturally, can conceive artificially through in vitro process. Therefore, they often feel whether IVF pregnancy symptoms resemble symptoms of natural pregnancies or not. Following an IVF pregnancy, the egg is taken outside in a Petri dish to fertilize. After fertilization, the egg is again implanted in the body. However, this is an artificial process of being pregnant, the course of the pregnancy advances as the normal period of pregnancy advances. However, after much discussion on IVF pregnancy symptoms, confusions related to this topic has prevailed. Let us talk about the procedures of IVF pregnancy and the symptoms of early IVF pregnancy.

What Is IVF Pregnancy?

This IVF pregnancy has brought ray of hopes to many women who have not been able to become pregnant naturally. Fortunately, this IVF pregnancy also consists of painless procedures. As the egg is fertilized in a Petri dish, it is planted in the womb by the help of a catheter. The symptoms of early IVF pregnancy come to surface as the fertilized egg is implanted at the walls of uterus. Once the egg is implanted, mother's body starts generating hormones to support advancement of pregnancy. As the pregnancy symptoms start showing up, take note of each of the signs and prepare a pregnancy journal. However, one must know the date when the egg was fertilized in the womb, otherwise, it is pretty challenging to make a pregnancy journal in case of an IVF pregnancy. So, start with recording the date of the implantation of the fertilized egg in your uterus.

What Are The Symptoms Of IVF Pregnancy?

After the egg is implanted in the uterus, and as your pregnancy is determined through an ultrasound, your body commence showing up symptoms of early IVF pregnancy. These symptoms are usually the symptoms of normal pregnancy. Following is a list of probable signs you can expect in an IVF pregnancy -

Enhanced level of basal body temperature

An overdue periods or amenorrhea

Tender and sore breasts

Cramping sensation in lower abdominal area

Discomforts of nausea and queasiness throughout the day

Increased aversion and fondness to certain foods and fragrances.

Dizziness and increased level of exhaustion and fainting.

Sudden onset of mood swings

Lower back pain

Urinating frequently

Role of HCG in IVF Pregnancy

HCG hormone is known as the pregnancy hormone and is produced after the fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus. In an interval of few days, this hormone is secreted in the blood and lead to arousal of symptoms of early pregnancy. However, during an IVF pregnancy, this hormone gets released a bit later in comparison to the normal pregnancy. This is the reason, the IVF pregnancy symptoms take a bit longer to arrive. If you are at this stage of IVF pregnancy, you should better consult a doctor or medical process to get your pregnancy confirmed, than to wait for its symptoms. Using an urine test, doctors detect IVF pregnancy. Undergo an HPT or positive urine test or ultrasound to be confirmed of your pregnancy if the symptoms of early IVF pregnancy are yet to show up.

Many women who opt for in vitro pregnancy also known as IVF Pregnancy ask questions if the symptoms of early IVF pregnancy are different from normal pregnancy symptoms. early pregnancy symptoms provides more information on this and other early signs of pregnancy such as early pregnancy symptom spotting, early pregnancy symptom cramping and much more.

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How To Achieve A Healthy Pregnancy

For most women, pregnancy is a time of great joy, excitement and anticipation. Pregnancy is a time of physical and emotional change when lots of changes occur naturally within your body. If you are a smoker, then use your pregnancy, or the time when you are planning pregnancy to quit smoking and stay quit after the baby is born. Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of non-syndromic orofacial clefts in infants. Smoking during pregnancy is a very bad choice. Pregnancy is a time to "listen'' to your body - it is not a time to be dieting, and trying to lose weight.

How can I Achieve a Healthy Pregnancy

The key to a healthy pregnancy is planning it in the first place. Eating well can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy newborn - Healthy mum, healthy pregnancy. If you try to stay as healthy as you can during your pregnancy this will give you the best chance of delivering a healthy baby at full term.

As an expectant mother, your top priority should be healthy eating. Eating well should begin before you become pregnant so your body will be stocked up with the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. Shortly after finding out that you have conceived you should see a doctor, as your doctor can explain to you about healthy pregnancy weight gain. Staying healthy is doubly important when you're pregnant.

Exercise is also an important part of a healthy pregnancy, exercise can help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight faster and also have a faster, easier birth.

Adequate sleep is essential to promote a healthy pregnancy. Talking with a health care provider is one of the most important things women and families can do to prepare for a healthy pregnancy. Even before conception, it is absolutely essential to plan for a healthy pregnancy. A healthy lifestyle, even before you become pregnant is the best way to give your baby a healthy start. If you're planning to become pregnant, prepare for a healthy pregnancy by taking care of medical and dental concerns beforehand. Pregnancy is NOT the time to be on a weight loss program.

What Are The First Symptoms Of Pregnancy?

In my experience, very early symptoms of pregnancy are not always text book. There are many different signs and symptoms of pregnancy, and although most women expect certain symptoms to come with pregnancy, these do vary according to individual women and to their individual pregnancies. The earliest symptoms of pregnancy are generally nausea, fatigue, and breast tenderness, but not everybody experiences these. Nausea is actually a good sign as it tells the doctor that the pregnancy is likely to be going on well in terms of hormones. The most commonly looked for early sign of pregnancy is missing a menstrual period. Although you may find you have a lot of the symptoms, the only way to truly tell if you are pregnant is to obtain a positive pregnancy test. Blood tests can confirm a pregnancy within days of conception if pregnancy is suspected and you really can't wait to find out. Women should always report worrying signs or symptoms to their doctor during pregnancy.

Pregnancy is an amazing phenomenon of nature that is the core of our existence. One of the easiest and best ways to avoid problems and complications during pregnancy is to get regular medical exams from your doctor or midwife. Pregnancy is an exciting time in a woman's life, and you should take care of yourself and your unborn baby. During pregnancy women are offered a range of tests which are designed to check whether the baby is developing normally and if the pregnancy is going well.

Pregnancy is a very exciting time in most women's lives, but for others an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy is not such welcome news. If the pregnancy is unexpected, you may be feeling scared or confused. This is a usual reaction to an unplanned pregnancy. There are many organizations that can and will assist, and it is always good to be able to talk to the father, friends and family to help get your feelings into perspective.

For more information on Pregnancy, symptoms, and much more visit our Pregnancy Information Site [http://www.pregnancyzone.net]. Here you can also view details of our Pregnancy Guide Healthy Pregnancy - Good Health for Yourself and Your Baby [http://www.pregnancyzone.net/book/index.php]

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What You Need to Know About Tubal Pregnancy

What is a tubal pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy, commonly known as a tubal pregnancy, is a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg implants itself somewhere other than the uterus. It is referred to as a tubal pregnancy because 95% of ectopic pregnancies occur when the fertilized egg is unable to travel all the way through the fallopian tube to the uterus, and therefore implants itself in the tube.

Of all ectopic pregnancies, 1.5% are abdominal, 0.5% are ovarian, and 0.03% are cervical. None of these places are suited for a growing baby. As the fetus grows, it can eventually burst the organ that contains it, causing severe internal bleeding, and endangering the mother's life. Unfortunately, a tubal pregnancy will never develop into a live birth.

Although there have been advances in surgical technology that have caused the death rate due to tubal pregnancy to drop since 1970, there is still a death rate of about 1 out of 2000, with about 40-50 women dying each year in the U.S.

What causes tubal pregnancy?

There are many reasons why an egg may become lodged in the fallopian tube. It is most often caused by an infection or inflammation of the tube that partially or entirely blocks the passage. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is the most common of these infections.

Endometriosis, when cells from the lining of the uterus detach and grow elsewhere in the body, can cause blockages. Scar tissue from previous pelvic or fallopian surgery can also lead to tubal pregnancy. Less frequently, abnormal growths or birth defects can alter the shape of the tube and obstruct the egg's progress.

How will I know if I am having a tubal pregnancy?

It can be difficult to recognize symptoms of tubal pregnancy since many of the early signs mirror those of a normal pregnancy, such as missed periods, breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, or frequent urination.

Some of the symptoms more specific to tubal pregnancy are:

* Pain in your lower belly

* Slight bleeding from vagina

* One-sided pain in your stomach

* Shoulder pain (which may be caused by internal bleeding irritating your diaphragm when you breathe)

* Bladder or bowel problems

* Feeling light-headed or faint, sometimes accompanied by paleness, increased pulse, diarrhea, and falling blood pressure (caused by blood loss)

* Abnormal bleeding (heavier or lighter than usual and prolonged, or dark and watery, almost like prune juice)

* Lower back pain

If you experience any of these symptoms you should go directly to the emergency room. If you arrive at the hospital complaining about abdominal pains, you will most likely be given a pregnancy test. Urine pregnancy tests are not necessarily the best pregnancy tests, but they are fast. Speed can be crucial in dealing with a tubal pregnancy.

If the pregnancy test comes back positive then your doctor will probably perform a quantitative hCG test to measure the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin in your body. hCG is a hormone produced by the placenta which shows up in the blood and urine as early as 10 days after conception. Its levels double every day for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Lower-than-expected hCG levels could indicate a tubal pregnancy.

You will be given a pelvic exam as well, to find the areas causing pain, check for an enlarged, pregnant uterus, or locate any masses in your abdomen. The doctors will probably also perform an ultrasound examination, which would show if the uterus contained a developing fetus or determine whether there are masses growing elsewhere in the abdomen. Unfortunately, the ultrasound may not be able to detect every tubal pregnancy.

There is also a more rarely used test for tubal pregnancy, called culdocentesis, which is used to check for internal bleeding. This test is performed by inserting a needle into the space at the very top of the vagina, behind the uterus and in front of the rectum. If there is blood or fluid found there, it most likely comes from a ruptured tubal pregnancy.

What can be done about my tubal pregnancy?

Treatment for a tubal pregnancy will depend on its size and location, and on whether or not you would like the ability to conceive again.

If caught early enough, a tubal pregnancy may be able to be treated with an injection of methotrexate, which would dissolve the fertilized egg and allow it to be reabsorbed into the body. This non-surgical approach results in minimal scarring of the pelvic organs.

A tubal pregnancy that is further along will likely require surgery to be removed. In the past, this operation would have required a very large incision across the lower abdomen, which may still be necessary in cases of emergency or severe internal injury.

However, modern technology has bestowed upon us an alternative method of removal. In many cases, the vtubal pregnancy can be removed using laparoscopy, a much less invasive surgical procedure. The surgeon makes a small incision in the lower abdomen and inserts a laparoscope, a long, hollow tube with a lighted end. This allows the surgeon to see internal organs and insert other instruments as need. The tubal pregnancy is then removed, and the damaged organs are repaired or removed.

Regardless of which procedure is used, the doctor will want to continue seeing you regularly, to monitor your hCG levels, which should return to zero. This may take up to twelve weeks, but if the hCG levels do not decline, it could mean that some of the ectopic tissue was missed and may need to be removed using methotrexate or additional surgery.

How will this affect my future pregnancies?

About a third of women with a previous tubal pregnancy will have trouble conceiving again. This depends mainly on the total amount of damage and surgery that was done.

If the fallopian tubes remain intact, chances for a successful pregnancy in the future are about 60%. Even with only one fallopian tube, chances can be greater than 40%.

The risk of a repeat tubal pregnancy is increased with each subsequent tubal pregnancy. After your first one, you face about a 15% chance of having another.

Am I at risk of having a tubal pregnancy?

Those most at risk of having a tubal pregnancy are women between the ages of 35 and 45 who have had a PID, a previous tubal pregnancy, surgery on a fallopian tube, or infertility problems or medication to stimulate ovulation.

Some birth control methods may also increase your chances for a tubal pregnancy. If you become pregnant while using progesterone intrauterine devices (IUDs), progesterone-only oral contraceptives, or the morning after pill, you may be more likely to have a tubal pregnancy.

If you think that you may be at risk of tubal pregnancy, talk to your doctor about it before attempting to conceive. Although there is nothing that can be done to prevent tubal pregnancy, if monitored closely it can be detected early.

If you are pregnant and experience any of the symptoms of tubal pregnancy, contact your doctor immediately. Tubal pregnancy is just one of those things that you want to have checked out, even if you only have so much as a hunch. It can't hurt to be sure, and it may save your life.

Susan Tanner is a wife and mother of three. She is also the editor of pregnancy-guide.net. Pregnancy-Guide is an online community for mothers to find support and valuable information. Please visit Pregnancy-Guide for valuable pregnancy information.

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