When is ectopic pregnancy usually discovered

The pregnancy tissue is then absorbed into the woman's body. Methotrexate is not always needed, as in around half of cases the egg dies before it can grow larger. Ectopic pregnancies detected at a more advanced stage will require surgery to remove the pregnancy sac.

If an ectopic pregnancy is left to develop, there is a risk that the fertilised egg could continue to grow and cause the fallopian tube to split open rupture , which can cause life-threatening internal bleeding.

A ruptured fallopian tube is a medical emergency. If you think that you or someone in your care has experienced this complication, call and ask for an ambulance.

In a normal pregnancy an egg is fertilised by sperm in one of the fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the womb. The fertilised egg then moves into the womb and implants itself into the womb lining endometrium , where it grows and develops. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside the womb.

It most commonly occurs in a fallopian tube this is known as a tubal pregnancy , often as the result of damage to the fallopian tube or the tube not working properly. Less commonly in around 2 in cases , an ectopic pregnancy can occur in an ovary, in the abdominal space or in the cervix neck of the womb.

In many cases, it's not clear why a woman has an ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes it happens when there's a problem with the fallopian tubes, such as them being narrow or blocked. The loss of your pregnancy at any stage can have a huge impact on you and your partner. One day you are pregnant and planning your future life with your child, and then within a short time, your pregnancy ends.

The ending of an ectopic pregnancy is a form of miscarriage — and the feelings that a woman and her partner may experience can be similarly difficult. It is not uncommon for feelings of grief and bereavement to last for 6 to 12 months, although these feelings usually improve with time.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby offers free and confidential support and counselling to women, their partners, friends and relatives. Call on Many women affected by a miscarriage benefit from counselling. SANDS miscarriage, stillborn and neonatal death support provide support groups for parents and their family whose baby has died through stillbirth , miscarriage , ectopic pregnancy and medically advised termination.

It is normally recommended that you wait for at least 2 menstrual cycles before trying for another pregnancy, as this will allow time for your fallopian tubes to recover if treated with methotrexate, you will need to wait at least 3 to 4 months. However, many women are not emotionally ready to try for another pregnancy so soon.

Your chances of having a successful pregnancy will depend on the underlying health of your fallopian tubes. If you cannot conceive in the normal way then fertility treatment such as in-vitro fertilisation IVF may be an option. IVF treatment is where an egg is fertilised by a sperm outside the womb usually in a test tube and, after fertilisation, the embryo is surgically implanted into the womb. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that implants outside the uterus womb. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in one of the fallopian tubes. Ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition.

Read more on myDr website. For a ruptured ectopic pregnancy , emergency surgery is needed. For an early ectopic pregnancy that appears to be naturally miscarrying aborting on its own, you may not need treatment.

Your doctor will regularly test your blood to make sure that your pregnancy hormone hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin levels are dropping. This is called expectant management. If your blood type is Rh-negative , Rh immunoglobulin may be used to protect any future pregnancies against Rh sensitization.

For more information, see the topic Rh Sensitization During Pregnancy. You cannot prevent ectopic pregnancy, but you can prevent serious complications with early diagnosis and treatment. If you have one or more risk factors for ectopic pregnancy, you and your doctor can closely monitor your first weeks of a pregnancy. If you smoke, quit to lower your risk of ectopic pregnancy.

Women who smoke or who used to smoke have higher rates of ectopic pregnancy. Using safer sex practices, such as using a male condom or a female condom every time you have sex helps protect you from sexually transmitted infections STIs that can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease PID. PID is a common cause of scar tissue in the fallopian tubes, which can cause ectopic pregnancy.

If you are at risk for having an ectopic pregnancy and you think you may be pregnant, use a home pregnancy test. If it is positive, be sure to have a confirmation test done by a doctor, especially if you are concerned about having an ectopic pregnancy. If you are receiving methotrexate treatment to end an ectopic pregnancy, you may experience side effects from the medicine. See these tips for managing methotrexate treatmentto minimize these side effects. If you experience an ectopic pregnancy loss, no matter how early in a pregnancy, expect that you and your partner will need time to grieve.

It is also possible to develop depression from the hormonal changes after a pregnancy loss. If you have symptoms of depression that last for more than a couple of weeks, be sure to call your doctor or a psychologist, clinical social worker, or licensed mental health counselor. You can contact a support group, read about the experiences of other women, and talk to friends, a counselor, or a member of the clergy.

These things may help you and your family deal with a pregnancy loss. If you have had an ectopic pregnancy, you may worry about your chances of having a healthy or ectopic pregnancy in the future.

Your risk factors and any fallopian tube damage you may have will impact your future risk and your ability to become pregnant. Your doctor can answer your questions based on your risk factors. Medicine can only be used for early ectopic pregnancies that have not ruptured.

Depending on where the ectopic growth is and what type of surgery would otherwise be used, medicine may be less likely than surgical treatment to cause fallopian tube damage. For an ectopic pregnancy that is more developed, surgery is a safer and more dependable treatment. Methotrexate is used to stop the growth of an early ectopic pregnancy. It can also be used after surgical ectopic treatment to ensure that all ectopic cell growth has stopped.

Methotrexate treatment is usually the first choice for ending an early ectopic pregnancy. If the pregnancy is further along, surgery is safer and more likely than medicine to be effective. Methotrexate can cause unpleasant side effects, such as nausea, indigestion, and diarrhea. For information about how to minimize side effects, see these tips for managing methotrexate treatment. If your ectopic pregnancy is not too far advanced and has not ruptured, methotrexate may be a treatment option for you.

Successful methotrexate treatment of an early ectopic pregnancy avoids the risks of surgery, may be less likely to damage the fallopian tube than surgery, and is more likely to preserve your fertility. If you are not concerned with preserving fertility, surgery for an ectopic pregnancy is faster than methotrexate treatment and will likely cause less bleeding.

Surgery may be your only treatment option if you have internal bleeding. When possible, surgery is done through a small incision using laparoscopy. This type of surgery usually has a short recovery period. An ectopic pregnancy can be removed from a fallopian tube by using salpingostomy or salpingectomy. Both salpingostomy and salpingectomy can be done either through a small incision using laparoscopy or through a larger open abdominal incision laparotomy.

Laparoscopy takes less time than laparotomy. And the hospital stay is shorter. But for an abdominal ectopic pregnancy or an emergency tubal ectopic removal, a laparotomy is usually required. When an ectopic pregnancy is located in an unruptured fallopian tube, every attempt is made to remove the pregnancy without removing or damaging the tube. Your future fertility and your risk of having another ectopic pregnancy will be affected by your own risk factors.

These can include smoking, use of assisted reproductive technology ART to get pregnant, and how much fallopian tube damage you have. As long as you have one healthy fallopian tube, salpingostomy small tubal slit and salpingectomy part of a tube removed have about the same effect on your future fertility. But if your other tube is damaged, your doctor may try to do a salpingostomy. This may improve your chances of getting pregnant in the future.

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Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Ectopic Pregnancy. Top of the page. Topic Overview What is an ectopic pregnancy? What causes an ectopic pregnancy? Things that make you more likely to have fallopian tube damage and an ectopic pregnancy include: Smoking. The more you smoke, the higher your risk of an ectopic pregnancy. Pelvic inflammatory disease PID. This is often the result of an infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. Endometriosis , which can cause scar tissue in or around the fallopian tubes.

Being exposed to the chemical DES before you were born. Some medical treatments can increase your risk of ectopic pregnancy. These include: Surgery on the fallopian tubes or in the pelvic area. Fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization. What are the symptoms? The key signs of an ectopic pregnancy are: Pelvic or belly pain. It may be sharp on one side at first and then spread through your belly.

It may be worse when you move or strain. Vaginal bleeding. If you think you are pregnant and you have these symptoms, see your doctor right away. How is an ectopic pregnancy diagnosed? To find out if you have an ectopic pregnancy, your doctor will likely do: A pelvic exam to check the size of your uterus and feel for growths or tenderness in your belly. A blood test that checks the level of the pregnancy hormone hCG. This test is repeated 2 days later. During early pregnancy, the level of this hormone doubles every 2 days.

Low levels suggest a problem, such as ectopic pregnancy. An ultrasound. This test can show pictures of what is inside your belly. With ultrasound, a doctor can usually see a pregnancy in the uterus 6 weeks after your last menstrual period. How is it treated? What can you expect after an ectopic pregnancy? But it does mean that: You may have trouble getting pregnant.

You are more likely to have another ectopic pregnancy. Cause Fallopian tube damage is a common cause of ectopic pregnancy. Blood tests and ultrasound testing can alert your doctor if another ectopic pregnancy is developing. Call your doctor's office if you have light vaginal bleeding or slight abdominal pain. The doctor might recommend an office visit or immediate medical care. However, emergency medical help is needed if you develop these warning signs or symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy:.

It can be helpful to jot down your questions for the doctor before your visit. Here are some questions you might want to ask your doctor:. In addition to your prepared questions, don't hesitate to ask questions anytime you don't understand something.

Ask a loved one or friend to come with you, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all of the information provided, especially in an emergency situation. If you don't require emergency treatment and haven't yet been diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, your doctor will talk to you about medical history and symptoms.

You'll be asked many questions about your menstrual cycle, fertility and overall health. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version.

Diagnosis A pelvic exam can help your doctor identify areas of pain, tenderness, or a mass in the fallopian tube or ovary. Pregnancy test Your doctor will order the human chorionic gonadotropin HCG blood test to confirm that you're pregnant. Transvaginal ultrasound Open pop-up dialog box Close. Transvaginal ultrasound During a transvaginal ultrasound, your doctor or a medical technician inserts a wandlike device transducer into your vagina while you are positioned on an exam table.

More Information Ultrasound. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Cunningham FG, et al. Implantation and placental development. In: Williams Obstetrics. McGraw-Hill Education; Accessed Dec. Tulandi T.