Ectopic pregnancy: what are its symptoms?

Normally, after an egg is fertilised at conception, it embeds itself in the inner lining of the womb. But sometimes – in about 1 in 80 pregnancies – it finds its way elsewhere. It is usually in the fallopian tube, or occasionally in the abdomen, cervix or ovaries. This is an ectopic pregnancy - ectopic means ‘out of place’. What happens next? The embryo cannot survive. The focus becomes removal of the embryo while ensuring the health of the mother. Medical intervention is often not needed as there will be a spontaneous miscarriage, or the pregnancy can be terminated through medication or surgery. If however the fallopian tube ruptures, internal bleeding can result which could prove dangerous or even fatal to the mother. If there are ectopic pregnancy symptoms and an ectopic pregnancy is suspected, a blood test will assess levels of HCG, the hormone produced in pregnancy. A low count indicates an ectopic pregnancy. An ultrasound test will then determine the location of the embryo. If necessary, the fallopian tube or embryo is removed through laparoscopic surgery. If the fallopian tube is ruptured, its removal will be considered an emergency. What are the ectopic pregnancy symptoms? A woman may not have any ectopic pregnancy symptoms: an early scan or rupture of the fallopian tube may be the first indication. However there are symptoms which all pregnant women should be aware of as possibly indicating an ectopic pregnancy. They usually occur between week five and 14. They include: * strong and persistent pain on one side of the abdomenrn* shoulder pain when lying in bed, which may indicate internal bleeding (this may be a referred pain from an affected nerve in the diaphragm) * intermittent bright/dark red vaginal bleedingrn* diarrhoea, vomiting, pain when passing urine or stoolsrn* most seriously, a sensation of faintness and light-headedness, looking pale or having increased heart rate can be symptoms of a ruptured fallopian tube, called ‘collapse’, which needs immediate medical attentionrnAlthough these symptoms may be harmless, it’s wise to be aware that they could possibly be ectopic pregnancy symptoms. Why does it happen? The cause is rarely clear. However these factors appear to make an ectopic pregnancy more likely: * infection (in the womb, fallopian tubes or ovaries) or inflammation of the fallopian tubesrn* fertility drugsrn* abnormally shaped fallopian tube (natural or caused by surgery) * above-average age for pregnancyrn* previous sexually-transmitted diseasernIn addition, if a woman has experienced one ectopic pregnancy, she has a one-in-ten risk of its recurrence at a future pregnancy. (Source: http://www.zimbio.com/Pregnancy/articles/46iTbX0lwsz/Ectopic+pregnancy+symptoms?add=True)