Question 1

ectopic pregnancy danger?

Accepted Answer

Extremely dangerous: Pelvic/abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding in a pregnant woman are most common symptoms. These are rarely present early ectopic though, so if there's reason for concern about ectopic consult your doctor, do not rely on symptoms.

Question 2

what causes ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Damage to the tubes: Ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that implants somewhere outside the uterus.  Most often, it is in the tube but ectopics can happen on the ovary or attach to the bowel, or bladder.  Usually the tubes are damaged in some way from infection, endometriosis, or a variety of other reasons.

Question 3

what helps treat ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Surgery and meds: Depending on the size and age of the ectopic, sometimes medications can be given that will cause it to reabsorb into a woman's body and surgery will not be needed.  If it is too large, or if it has ruptured, surgery will be necessary to remove the pregnancy and stop any bleeding.

Question 4

what exactly is an ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Fetus outside uterus: When the fertilized egg implants anywhere but inside the womb, the pregnancy is called ectopic, from the greek word for out-of-place. This is a potentially life-threatening condition for the pregnant woman and is practically always non-viable for the fetus (although extremely rare abdominal pregnancies can produce a liveborn frequently at the expense of maternal life). Typically they are tubal.

Question 5

how is an ectopic pregnancy detected?

Accepted Answer

Need a pelvic exam: At a minimum, if there is any suspicion of ectopic pregnancy, you need a pelvic exam, as well as a pregnancy test, to make the diagnosis.  Usually, an ultrasound is done as well to confirm the diagnosis and find the exact location and size of the ectopic.

Question 6

how does an ectopic pregnancy happen?

Accepted Answer

Stuck in the tube: Conception normally occurs in the fallopian tube and the embryo travels down the tube and into the uterus where it implants. If the embryo gets stuck and implants in the tube an ectopic pregnancy will occur.

Question 7

what are signs of an ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Pain and bleeding: The classic signs of an ectopic pregnancy are pelvic pain (usually worse on one side), and spotting in early pregnancy.  If you suspect that you might have an ectopic pregnancy, see a doctor right away so that s/he can determine where your pregnancy is growing and if there is a problem.  Ectopic pregnancies can be treated without surgery if found early enough, but can be life-threatening otherwise.

Question 8

what can be cause of ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Ectopic Pregnancy: There are many possible causes of ectopic pregnancy.  Any previous tubal surgery, previous history of ectopic pregnancy, history of pelvic inflammatory disease, smoking.  Many occur in patients that have no risk factors at all.

Question 9

can a baby survive an ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Very rarely: Instead of implanting in the uterus the embryo has implanted in the fallopian tubes.

Question 10

what medications treat ectopic pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Methotrexate: Methotrexate is used to treat an ectopic pregnancy.  It is a chemotherapy drug which attacks rapidly dividing cells, like those in a pregnancy (or a cancer).

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