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Ectopic Pregnancy - Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

by Indira IVF Indira IVF - Largest Fertility Chain In India

Unlike a regular pregnancy, in which the zygote is formed inside the uterus, an ectopic pregnancy (also known as Tubular Pregnancy) occurs when a zygote forms inside the Fallopian tube, the cervix, the ovaries or the abdominal cavity.

An ectopic pregnancy can’t proceed normally, as the fertilized egg can’t survive without the space and nurturing tissues of a uterus. As the zygote grows larger, the organ containing it runs the risk of bursting, causing excessive bleeding that can be fatal for the mother. Ectopic Pregnancies need immediate treatment.

Symptoms:

Ectopic Pregnancies have very similar symptoms as the early stages of normal pregnancies, with symptoms including:

                  Irregular Menstruation

                  Tenderness in the breast area

                  Nausea

                  Lack of Energy

                  Frequent Urination

The signs that do point towards an ectopic pregnancy could be severe pain in the pelvis and abdomen area depending on the stage and severity of said pregnancy.

In the case of internal bleeding, the symptoms can be more severe, such as:

                  Lightheartedness due to blood loss

                  Low BP due to blood loss

Less severe symptoms include:

                  Vaginal Spotting

                  Pain in the lower back

Causes:

Women are more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy due to hormonal imbalances. These imbalances can be caused due to:

                  IUD: Intrauterine Device is a birth control instrument, that prevents pregnancies. However, in the case of a malfunction, there is a risk of having an ectopic pregnancy.

                  Tubular Surgery: Any prior surgery on the fallopian tubes increase the chances of a tubular pregnancy

                  STIs: Sexually Transmitted Infections like chlamydia or  gonorrhea result in inflammation of the tubes and other organs, increasing tubular pregnancy risks

                  Smoking: Cigarette smoking just before conception can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy. The more you smoke, the greater the risk.

                  Previous ectopic pregnancy: A previous ectopic pregnancy increases the chances of another one in the future.

Ectopic Pregnancy Treatments:

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to save the fetus in an ectopic pregnancy. The treatment of this condition varies depending upon the health, medical stability of the patient and the location of the fetus.

                  Medication: If diagnosed early, it can be treated with an injection of methotrexate to stop the growth of the embryos. These fall under Rs.100/Vail

                  Surgery: The patient will need surgery to remove the abnormal fetus if the ectopic pregnancy is farther along. Surgeries are invasive in nature, with incisions are done along the pelvic area. But these are done only in emergencies.

                  Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery: A laparoscopy is a less invasive procedure. A light incision is made in the navel area, where the surgeon inserts a laparoscope. A laparoscope is a tiny camera on a thin tube which then sends a live feed of it to a screen in the operating room. The ectopic tissue is then located and surgically removed with minimal tissue damage. The patient is usually sedated though anesthesia during the procedure, thus feels no pain during. As with any medical procedure, however, the success rate varies depending upon the quality of the facility and the experience of the doctor performing it. This procedure of ectopic pregnancy costs between Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 1,00,000.

The doctor will want to see the patient on a regular basis post-surgery to make sure their hCG levels return to zero. This may take several weeks. An elevated hCG indicates that some ectopic tissue has survived the ectopic pregnancy surgery surgery or was missed during the procedure. This tissue may have to be removed using drugs such as methotrexate or extreme cases further surgery.

If there are any concerns about having a pregnancy being ectopic, then contact the doctor immediately. The doctor will check the hormone levels to ensure if the pregnancy is developing normally.


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About Indira IVF Advanced   Indira IVF - Largest Fertility Chain In India

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Created on Feb 12th 2019 06:33. Viewed 681 times.

Comments

Niharika Jain Innovator  Infertility treatment - IVF Center
Nice
thank you for sharing
Mar 27th 2019 06:00   
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