AsAbove | The Quality Directory
Article DetailsEctopic Pregnancy: Causes, Common Symptoms, Treatment |
| Date Added: September 21, 2009 05:25:20 PM |
| Author: Michelle Edwards |
| Category: Health: Medicine |
| Specifying the problem In a normal pregnancy, a fertilized egg travels through a fallopian tube to the uterus. The egg attaches to the womb and starts to grow. But in an ectopic pregnancy (also known as an extrauterine pregnancy), a fertilized egg implants in another place but not the uterus, commonly in a salpinx. An ectopic pregnancy is often caused by damage to the fallopian tubes. A fertilized egg can have difficulty in travelling through a damaged tube. Thus, the egg is made to attach and develop in the tube. Seldom, the egg attaches to an ovary, the cervix or the belly. If the egg keeps growing in the damaged fallopian tube, it can do damage to or rupture the tube and cause severe internal hemorrhage that can be life-threatening. If you think you have an ectopic pregnancy, you need quick medical assistance to cease it before it leads to grievous problems. Factors leading to uterine tubes damage 1. Smoking. Chain smokers are at high risk of having an extrauterine pregnancy. 2. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). It often results from an infection, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. 3. Endometroid heterotopia which can cause scar tissue in or around the oviducts. 4. Exposure to the chemical DES before you were born. 5. Repeated induced termination of pregnancy. Symptoms Pain is commonly the first common symptom of an ectopic pregnancy. The pain, often one-sided, can occur in the pelvis, belly or even in the shoulder or neck. The pain is normally acute. Weakness, giddiness or fainting can signal grave internal haemorrhage, requiring immediate medical attention. Diagnosis Diagnosis of an extrauterine pregnancy includes an ultrasouns, a pelvic examination administered to check for pain, tenderness or a mass in the abdomen. The most useful lab test is the measurement of the endocrine profile, especially of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Medical assistance Treatment of an extrauterine pregnancy is operation, often by laparoscopy today, to excise the ectopic pregnancy. A ruptured tube commonly has to be excised. If the tube has not ruptured yet, it may be fixed. Future pregnancies The extent of the surgery affects the probability of sucessful pregnancies. If the Salpinx has been fixed, the possibility of a successful pregnancy is normally exceeds 50%. If a fallopian tube has been removed, an egg may be impregnated in the remaining tube, and the chance of a successful pregnancy goes down below 50%. |
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