How to know pregnancy is not ectopic. Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is an abnormal condition that poses a serious threat to a woman's life. The place of localization of a fertilized egg is normally the uterus. If fixation occurs in any other place, this is a pathology and requires immediate intervention by doctors. The first signs of an ectopic pregnancy, if you know about them, should alert the woman and encourage her to make an appointment with a specialist.

During ovulation, a mature and fully formed egg leaves the ovary. It enters the tube, where the process of direct fertilization takes place. After the completion of conception, the zygote migrates into the uterine cavity. This phenomenon is facilitated by measured peristaltic contractions of the fallopian tubes and undulating swaying of the villi of the mucous membrane.

The path is long, the migration lasts about 3 days. This time is enough for the embryo to form special cells responsible for the release of a number of enzymes. With their help, the process of attachment to the mucous membranes of the formed zygote takes place.

If at one of the stages listed above, the zygote encounters mechanical or hormonal obstacles, the fertilization algorithm will be disrupted. The main causes of ectopic pregnancy in early dates discussed in the table below.

The development of an ectopic pregnancy may be due to local tuberculosis or external endometriosis. Moreover, long-term infertility treatment through hormonal drugs can also cause such a specific problem.

Classification of ectopic conditions

Ectopic pregnancy, given its signs and symptoms, is divided into several categories. The classification is conditional, but rather complicated.

Types of pathological conditions according to the localization of the fetal egg:

• pipe;
• ovarian (intrafollicular and developing on the surface of the glandular organ);
• abdominal (primary and secondary);
• interligamentous;
• cervical;
• implantation in the rudimentary horn of the uterus;
• interstitial pregnancy.

According to the stages of the course and how exactly an ectopic pregnancy manifests itself:

• progressive pregnancy;
• interrupted pregnancy;
• interrupted pregnancy.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

An early period (5-6th week) does not allow a woman to independently determine whether an ectopic pregnancy has occurred.

Primary signs are typical for everyone:

• delayed pregnancy;
• breast enlargement, soreness;
• toxicosis of the first trimester (nausea, accompanied by vomiting).

Most often, an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed when the symptoms already indicate the development of a tubal abortion or other termination scenarios. Progressive ectopic pregnancy in which the fetus develops early stages relatively normal, established during an ultrasound examination.

At the same time, the task of the diagnostician was not always to search for “traces of pregnancy”. The abnormal location of the fetal egg is most often detected during diagnostic measures to identify completely different pathological conditions.

If the pregnancy did not take place in the uterus and unexpectedly terminated, the symptoms will be as follows.

1. - the first dangerous sign by which it is possible to recognize various forms of ectopic pregnancy. If the pain is dull and persistent, advanced tubal pregnancy may be suspected. The fetus is growing, and it will eventually become too crowded. Every day the risk of pipe rupture will increase. Constant cramping pain radiating to the lower back indicates that the gap did occur.
2. The first signs of a progressive ectopic pregnancy that has already been interrupted is often associated with specific pain or discomfort in anus. Women experience unusual pressure, as at the beginning of labor or before the act of defecation;
3. Bloody issues appear at the moment when the roof from the pipe has found a way out. Small spotting of scarlet, brown, beige, which cannot be described as menstruation, is a formidable symptom. A woman should immediately consult a doctor;
4. Signs indicating rapid progression internal bleeding, - pallor of the skin, hypotension up to the development of collapse, severe weakness, severe dizziness. There is no time to determine the exact cause of this condition - you must immediately call an ambulance.

If, among other things, the patient has hyperthermia, prone to progression, there is every reason to believe that an inflammatory process has begun in the body. This is special Hard case requiring immediate treatment and long-term rehabilitation.

What will the test show?

Considering the question of what symptoms an ectopic pregnancy gives, what signs in the early stages are characteristic of this condition, it is worth considering separately the nuances associated with the use of the test. This type of fertilization causes a delay in menstruation. In the first expected cycle, there may still be allocations. As a rule, they are scarce, of a specific color. "Pseudo-mentruation" comes at the wrong time and lasts only a couple of days.

This alarms the woman, since a normal cycle, in any case, cannot look like this. Alert, patients often purchase a pregnancy test.

The test will be positive. However, with ectopic localization of the fetal egg, the second strip is usually fuzzy, blurry. Experts attribute this to the fact that the level is lower if the zygote is attached to the tissues of the tube.

However, there are tests that help recognize an abnormal pregnancy, as well as assess the risk of a ruptured tube. However, in order to acquire and conduct such a specific test, a woman needs to be on the alert, distinguishing between normal and abnormal pregnancy.

Sad consequences

The consequences of an ectopic pregnancy include:

• rupture of the tube with subsequent migration of the fetal egg into the peritoneal cavity;
• termination of an abnormal pregnancy in any other way;
• massive bleeding due to detachment of the fetus from the walls of the appendage;
• bleeding due to actual damage to the tube, which can be fatal for a woman;
• the development of peritonitis, if the blood enters the abdominal cavity with the subsequent development of inflammatory processes.

Treatment of patients

Treatment of an interrupted abnormal pregnancy is carried out exclusively by the method of salpingoectomy. The deformed tube is removed if the gestation period is relatively early. There are two reasons for this:

• stop massive bleeding that cannot be controlled otherwise;
• get rid of an organ that has completely lost its functional potential.

Distinguish between laparoscopic and laparotomic scheme of surgical intervention. The intervention itself is quite traumatic, it requires the appropriate qualifications of the doctor.

If the pipe has retained its integrity, the treatment of ectopic progressive pregnancy is carried out in other ways. A chemical substance is injected into the fruiting egg for the purpose of subsequent medical tissue sclerosis. Then, the walls of the tube are excised, followed by removal of the fetus.

The fabrics are neatly sewn up. Not a single specialist guarantees that the pipe will eventually retain at least a minimum patency. As for scars and fibrous bands, they are formed as a natural reaction of the body to surgical interventions.

Rehabilitation and subsequent preparation for pregnancy

All rehabilitation activities are presented below.

1. Immediately after the operation, intensive infusion therapy is prescribed in order to correct the water and electrolyte balance.
2. Antibiotic therapy to prevent a number of postoperative complications.
3. Stabilization of the hormonal background.
4. Contraception 6 to 12 months after surgery.
5. Prevention of adhesive processes using enzyme preparations.
6. Physiotherapy for general wellness.

Provided that the woman has at least one tube with optimal patency, the probability of becoming pregnant in the future is quite high. The optimal period for re-conception is 1 year after the operation. In general, the prognosis is favorable, but on the condition that the disease was detected fairly quickly and really professional help was provided.

An ectopic pregnancy is an abnormal, abnormal condition for the female body - this pregnancy carries a serious danger, even death. With the correct development of pregnancy, the fetus is in the uterus, this is the location intended for it by nature. If the fetal egg is fixed in some other organ, then this is always a pathology that requires immediate surgical intervention. That is why if you notice signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages, then you definitely need to make an appointment with a gynecologist. After all, the more the fetus develops in this state, the worse it will affect your health.

Types of ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancies are named according to where the fetus is located. Types of these pregnancies:

• ovarian (the fertilized egg is not in the uterus, but remains in the space of the follicle);
• tubal (due to poor patency of the fallopian tubes, the embryo remains in one of the tubes);
• abdominal (the embryo is located in the peritoneal cavity);
• cervical (fetus in the cervical canal of the uterus);
• interligamentous (the embryo is attached to the serous membranes of the abdominal cavity);
• implantation in the rudimentary horn of the uterus (one of the most dangerous species ectopic pregnancy, there is a serious risk of uterine rupture);
• interstitial pregnancy (fetus in the interstitium of the fallopian tubes, a very rare type of ectopic pregnancy).

An ectopic pregnancy, like any pathology, has its own stages of development. Which the farther, the more dangerous it is for the woman's body - so if you notice at least some symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages, then urgently go to an appointment with a specialist. This is a deadly anomaly for a woman's body, so caution should not be neglected.

Stages of an ectopic pregnancy

• progressive (occurs in normal physiological terms); the embryo, as it grows, compresses the tissues surrounding it, rupture of these tissues and bleeding is possible;
• intermittent (interrupts on its own, can cause a rupture of the fallopian tube); the fetus carries an infection, intoxication for the rest of the body. This condition often develops into peritonitis;
• interrupted (up to 6 weeks is possible medical abortion then an operation becomes necessary).

An ectopic pregnancy, which at the beginning proceeds in the same way as a standard pregnancy - as the fetus grows, it can cause serious damage to the female body: the embryo, as it grows, compresses the tissues surrounding it, which entails the possibility of rupture of these tissues and threatens with internal bleeding. After such a pregnancy is spontaneously terminated, the fetus carries with it infection and intoxication for the rest of the body. This condition often develops into peritonitis. That is why it is so important not too late to identify the signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages - this can save your life in the truest sense of the word.

It is very important to detect an ectopic pregnancy in time. The signs of this condition are quite difficult to determine. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion, contact a gynecologist who can literally save your life.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

Trying to independently answer the question: “Ectopic pregnancy at what time does it manifest itself?”, A woman tries to find distinctive features this state. However, this is quite difficult to do.

And yet, there are some symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy that may prompt you to urgently see a gynecologist for up to 5-6 weeks:

• delayed pregnancy;
• painful enlargement of the mammary glands;
• toxicosis of the first trimester (severe nausea, accompanied by vomiting).

How to determine an ectopic pregnancy?

If you have an ectopic pregnancy, the symptoms will point to a tubal abortion or other scenarios that have already occurred. Progressive ectopic pregnancy, in which the fetus develops relatively normally in the initial stages, is established during an ultrasound examination. The abnormal location of the fetal egg is most often detected during diagnostic measures to identify completely different pathological conditions.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages:

• persistent mild pain in the lower abdomen can tell you about the stretching of the fallopian tube;
• mild menstrual flow in the presence of a positive pregnancy test (as well as any brown and reddish discharge outside of menstruation);
• cramping pain in the abdomen - often indicates a rupture of the oviduct;
• a clear sign of the presence of internal bleeding, due to detachment and death of the embryo, is severe weakness and severe pallor;
• if an ectopic pregnancy is interrupted by itself - the fetus breaks up, which provokes inflammation in the abdominal cavity, a rapid increase in temperature can tell you about this.

Ectopic pregnancy on ultrasound

It is not worth trying to determine the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy at an early stage on your own, because they are all very relative. For more accurate diagnosis ectopic pregnancy, the doctor will prescribe an ultrasound of the female genital organs. So the doctor will be able to see the exact location of the embryo in your body, understand its size - and choose the best option to get rid of the problem.

Causes of an ectopic pregnancy

The very fact of an ectopic pregnancy is a rather infrequent occurrence. Such a pregnancy is only 2% of all pregnancies that occur. It must be borne in mind that for the occurrence of such a pathology as an ectopic pregnancy, there are quite serious prerequisites.

The embryo is attached to a place not intended for it in the female body only if there are some physiological obstacles on the way to the uterus.

The variations of these obstacles are quite extensive:

• inflammation of the female organs that you have encountered before (their consequence is adhesions that disrupt their patency);
• inflammatory processes in the fallopian tubes and appendages, which is why they inner side covered with mucous secretions, from which the villi are destroyed and begin to lose sensitivity (as a result, the processes that normally promote the zygote to the uterus stop, which prevents the fetal egg from entering the uterus);
• tumors of a different nature (they can block the path of the embryo to the uterus, pushing it to the abdominal cavity);
• any hormonal abnormalities (polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal disorders of the cycle and the work of the thyroid gland can contribute to the cessation of the movement of the oviducts, as a result of which the fetal egg will not be able to reach the uterus);
• non-standard arrangement of organs (deviations from the norm, which are immediately noticeable on ultrasound and place this woman in a high-risk group for the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy in her, signs in the early stages of which are a reason to urgently come for an examination to a specialist);
• transferred sexual diseases (they disrupt the normal functioning of the body and often have their own backfire, like the appearance of adhesions in the fallopian tubes);
• operations relating to the female genital organs (including abortions in the past).

Does the test show an ectopic pregnancy?

The mother's body perceives the embryo born in it - only as an alien object that can pose a threat. That is why, in order to protect the embryo from a possible attack on it by the immune system, the body is rebuilt.

HCG during an ectopic pregnancy: how the restructuring occurs

• from the moment of conception, the level of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood rises - a hormone that directly affects how exactly the corpus luteum of pregnancy ripens in the ovary;
• the hormone progesterone, which produces the corpus luteum, stops ovulation and stops the cycle (which is why menstrual flow is interrupted during pregnancy);

During the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy, the same thing happens. The only clear difference is the fluctuating level of hCG (when the embryo dies, hCG drops sharply). In view of this, menstruation stops with an ectopic pregnancy - just like it happens with a standard pregnancy. Sometimes there may be small bloody issues, but they will not coincide with the days of the expected menstruation, but appear randomly. This is one of obvious signs ectopic pregnancy in the early stages - therefore, you should at least alert.

Will the test show the presence of an ectopic pregnancy? It depends on many factors. In most cases, hCG rises by very high level by 5-6 weeks - for this reason, the classic two strips will be reflected on the test. Exactly the same as he shows in a standard pregnancy. However, if the ectopic pregnancy froze or terminated, the test may also show a negative result. If you have done pregnancy tests in different periods- and each time we got different results, this is an occasion to urgently go to the gynecologist and do an ultrasound of the female organs. A negative test after several positive tests that have been done before can mean the death of the fetus. This is also evidenced by fever, weakness, pallor unusual for you. With an ectopic pregnancy, such a spontaneous termination of the embryo's vital activity often occurs, and if you do not notice this, then you have a serious risk of infection of the body with embryo decomposition products.

Do menstruation occur during an ectopic pregnancy?

Menstruation stops in the same way as it happens with a standard pregnancy. Sometimes there may be small spotting, but they will not coincide with the days of the expected menstruation, but appear randomly. This is one of the clear signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages, and this should at least alert.

Ectopic pregnancy: consequences

With an ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous termination of the vital activity of the embryo occurs. If you do not notice this, you have a serious risk of infection of the body with the decomposition products of the embryo.

Basal temperature during ectopic pregnancy

In the first phase of egg development, there are no differences between ectopic and normal pregnancy: basal temperature indicators vary from 36.2 to 36.5 ° C. The indicators during the periods of ovulation and conception also do not differ: first there is a decrease, and then an increase to 37-37.5 ° C.

Differences can be observed a little later. With normal implantation of the fetal egg in the uterus, which occurs 7-10 days after the release of the cell, a decrease in temperature should occur. In the values ​​of basal temperature during ectopic pregnancy, this does not happen. However, this is a weak argument for comparison, since everything depends on the individual characteristics of the woman.

However, you should be aware that a decrease in temperature indicates a decrease in the level of progesterone in the blood and may be a sign of a frozen fetus for a period of 1 month or 5 weeks. In case of detachment of the fetus or rupture of its attachment, in addition to severe pain in the lower abdomen and dark discharge, an increase in temperature readings above 37.5 ° C, and sometimes up to 38 ° C, is recorded. This is due to the inflammatory process due to the outflow of blood.

Surgical elimination of ectopic pregnancy

To remove from a woman a fetus that is incorrectly located inside her abdominal cavity or in one of the tubes - alas, is possible only by surgery. The way to quickly eliminate this pathology depends entirely on how long you discovered that you had an ectopic pregnancy, which is why try to pay attention to all the signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages that you notice in yourself.

Ectopic pregnancy: operation and its options

Most often, a woman is concerned about the question: “If I have an ectopic pregnancy, how long does the operation last?”. The duration of the operation depends on the duration of diagnostic manipulations and the condition of the patient, but on average it ranges from 15 to 60 minutes.

• The most successful option is if an ectopic pregnancy is detected at an early stage, when the fallopian tubes have not yet been torn, deformed, and serious harm has not yet been done to the body. With this option, a laparoscopic operation is prescribed, in which the incision is made no more than 1.5 cm (the embryo is removed during it, the oviduct is then sutured).
• A less successful option, but not yet the most alarming, is if the fetus has already caused impressive deformations to the body, then the embryo is removed along with the fallopian tube, or even along with the ovary (however, the woman has the opportunity to become pregnant and carry the baby normally).
• The most unfavorable option is if the fallopian tube has already ruptured - after all, severe internal bleeding can lead to death. There is also a significant risk of peritonitis, which may result in sepsis. That is why it is so important to notice the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy at an early stage in time!

After the operation, the woman must be prescribed recovery procedures:

• a course of antibiotics (to avoid the possibility of developing a postoperative infection);
• a course of droppers, where she will be injected intravenously with isotonic solutions to restore the water and mineral balance in the body;
• a course of enzyme preparations (in order to avoid the possible formation of adhesions in the tube that was operated on).

Normal pregnancy after ectopic pregnancy

Due to the fact that the ovaries and oviducts are located in the female body in two, a woman has the opportunity to become pregnant even after the removal of one of the fallopian tubes. However, any surgical intervention (even an operation that does not leave noticeable marks on the body) is a serious stress for the female body. For a normal recovery, he will need from six months to a year - and during this period, categorically repeat the attempt to get pregnant. The body needs time to restore the level of the epithelium and adjust the hormonal background disturbed by the operation.

• it is mandatory to conduct a course of physiotherapy, which helps to prevent the formation of adhesions and helps to strengthen women's health;
• six months after the operation, it is recommended to go to a sanatorium or a recreation center (fresh air and vivid emotions will create a favorable background for a future pregnancy);
• it is necessary to strictly protect yourself for at least a year after the elimination of an ectopic pregnancy.

The next conception should occur at least a year later, after which you should immediately go to the doctor's office, have an ultrasound scan and carefully monitor the further course of pregnancy until delivery. And pay attention to possible symptoms early ectopic pregnancy! Remember that it is at an early stage that this pathology is the easiest to eliminate, and you can avoid serious harm to the body.

In 98% of women, pregnancy develops in the uterus, and only in 2% of women the embryo is attached outside the uterine cavity. It is not possible to prevent or exclude the development of ectopic pregnancy, therefore, the issue of its timely diagnosis remains especially relevant. Every woman planning a pregnancy should know that a possible ectopic attachment of the fetus is deadly for herself: terrible pain, bleeding lead to premature death.

What minimum knowledge should any woman have in order to independently determine an abnormally developing pregnancy at home?

Causes of an ectopic pregnancy

A normally developing pregnancy is when a fertilized egg, moving through the fallopian tubes, joins the wall of the uterus, but in in very rare cases, the egg is delayed along the way and an ectopic pregnancy occurs.

The leading reasons for the attachment of the egg to other organs, doctors note a lack of patency in the fallopian tubes, as well as improper functioning of the endometrium. Such deviations develop in a number of diseases:

Among the reasons leading to an ectopic pregnancy, there are those that are little talked about: this, First of all, immobility of spermatozoa that simply cannot reach the uterus.

It is also worth noting the reliable fact that the pathology in question can be inherited and transmitted from mother to daughter.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

At the initial stage of an ectopic pregnancy, the signs are similar to the usual course: this delayed menstruation, toxicosis, breast enlargement, etc.. When the embryo reaches a size that may threaten to rupture, the symptoms increase. Consider what should alert a woman to suspect the development of an ectopic pregnancy.

What other symptoms can occur during an ectopic pregnancy? In this condition, a woman usually does not have menstruation, but there is the appearance of spotting, up to heavy bleeding. As a result, the woman's body weakens, which ultimately ends in loss of consciousness.

If the above signs appear, especially if several of the above appear, a woman is recommended to immediately consult a doctor, because her health and life depend on this factor.

Detecting an ectopic pregnancy at home

To know how to recognize an ectopic pregnancy at home, you need to carefully listen to the well-being and behavior of your body, controlling all the signs of this situation in dynamics.

Pregnancy test

Women are often concerned about the question: if an ectopic pregnancy develops, will the test show or not? The answer of experts is this: the result will always be positive, that is, the test will show two strips, because the level of the hCG hormone is significantly higher than normal.

After discovering the fact of pregnancy, a woman is obliged to consult a gynecologist as soon as possible and register with a doctor in order to exclude undesirable consequences, including the detection of an ectopic pregnancy.

But there are cases when such a test showed an ectopic pregnancy, in this case the same two strips were noted, but one of them was barely noticeable. This fact is explained by the fact that the level of the hCG hormone is slightly increased, but not in the same way as during a normal pregnancy. With repeated analysis, such a method can show a completely negative result. If such a discrepancy is detected at home, the woman is recommended to visit health workers as soon as possible.

Temperature

There is another method for identifying the deviations in question during pregnancy - this is constant monitoring of temperature. In this case, it is better to use an electronic thermometer. Basal temperature during pregnancy varies within 37 degrees, its increase will mean the onset of the inflammatory process and, possibly, an ectopic pregnancy.

Allocations

With an ectopic pregnancy, unusual discharge sometimes appears - it may be a daub that does not have a permanent character, and in some cases there are normal periods in general. There have been cases of gradual an increase in the volume of secretions up to a huge blood loss. A woman who has turned to a gynecologist is prescribed additional examinations, a lot of procedures and tests to determine an ectopic pregnancy and remove the fetal egg.

Timing

At what time can an existing ectopic pregnancy be determined? It depends on the location of the embryo. Abnormally developing ectopic pregnancy around 6-8 weeks begins to show unfavorable symptoms. This is explained by the following: at the specified time, the thinnest walls of the fallopian tubes are not able to stretch as far as the size of the fetal egg requires, which leads to their inevitable rupture.

If you feel all the signs of pregnancy, but the embryo is not visible on the ultrasound, this does not mean that you are not pregnant. These symptoms may indicate an ectopic pregnancy.

In a normal pregnancy, a fertilized egg grows in the uterus. If the pregnancy is ectopic, the egg is located outside the uterine cavity. Most often, with an ectopic pregnancy, the fetal egg is located in the fallopian tube, but it happens that it develops in the ovary, cervix, abdominal cavity, or even in the cervical canal.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

In 98% of cases with an ectopic pregnancy, the fetal egg is implanted in the fallopian tube. Any form of ectopic pregnancy has the same symptoms as uterine:

• swelling of the mammary glands;
• cessation of menstruation;
• toxicosis.

In addition, during an ectopic pregnancy, a woman feels colic and severe pain in the lower abdomen, intensifying every day. Sometimes there may be unusual spotting that cannot be confused with menstruation. Unfortunately, an embryo that begins to develop outside the uterine cavity has no chance of survival. A normal pregnancy can only take place in the uterine cavity, since it can expand in size with the growth of the embryo, unlike the fallopian tube.

Why is an ectopic pregnancy dangerous?

This diagnosis is very dangerous for a woman, as it can lead to a rupture of the organ on which the embryo develops.

Often a woman does not attach importance to any of the above symptoms until there is severe cramping pain in the abdomen, which can even lead to loss of consciousness. The woman begins to feel severe weakness, which is caused by internal bleeding. In this case, you should not hesitate, you must urgently take the woman to the hospital, where she will undergo the necessary surgical operation.

To avoid disaster, you need to monitor your condition. If you have a delay, urgently go to the gynecologist, especially if it is accompanied by severe pain in the lower abdomen and incomprehensible spotting.

Is it possible to detect an ectopic pregnancy by the hCG hormone?

This question interests almost every woman. The answer here is unambiguous - it is impossible. After all, an ectopic pregnancy differs from a uterine one only in the wrong location of the embryo in the woman's body. In this case, hCG develops normally until the termination or termination of pregnancy.

How to determine if a pregnancy is normal or ectopic?

It can only be determined by ultrasound. Therefore, if your pregnancy test showed a positive result, the first thing to do is an ultrasound. The gynecologist will first look for the embryo in the uterine cavity, but if he does not find it there, then his search will go to the fallopian tubes, cervix, ovaries and abdominal cavity. Be sure to tell your doctor about all the symptoms, especially if you feel sharp pains in the lower abdomen and you have a strange discharge.

In no case do not delay with the examination. Self-diagnosis, and even more self-treatment in this case is completely impossible!

When can an ectopic pregnancy be detected?

To date, pregnancy and its localization can be diagnosed as early as a week after conception using ultrasound with a transvaginal sensor.

On a conventional ultrasound, an ectopic pregnancy can be detected for a period of four weeks or more. Even if the doctor does not see the embryo itself, he may be alerted by a seal in the fallopian tube, fluid in the retrouterine space, the size of the uterus, inappropriate this deadline pregnancy. And from the sixth week of pregnancy on ultrasound, you can clearly see the fetus itself.

Causes of an ectopic pregnancy

It can be caused by various factors. Most often, women who have had an ectopic pregnancy had a history of surgical operations in the abdominal cavity.

Also, the cause of such a pregnancy can be untreated endometriosis or obstruction of the fallopian tubes after infections and inflammations.

Doctors believe that the lack of the hormone estrogen in the body also negatively affects the patency of the fallopian tubes.

What is important to know?

No woman is immune from an ectopic pregnancy. If you are at risk, you should definitely undergo regular examinations by a gynecologist and carefully monitor the development of pregnancy in the early stages.

It is very important to detect an ectopic pregnancy as early as possible. If the diagnosis is made in a timely manner, that is, before its catastrophic manifestation, then in most cases the embryo will be removed using the laparoscopic method, that is, through a small opening in the abdomen. At the same time, the risk of developing complications, such as secondary infertility and adhesions, is significantly reduced.

And, most importantly, do not despair. No matter how scary this diagnosis sounds, this is not the end, you still have a chance to give birth to a healthy baby in the future.

Every woman at some point has a desire to experience all the delights of motherhood. But sometimes the long-awaited 2 strips on the test mean an ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening for a woman. It is for this reason that the fairer sex should know how to determine this pathology at home.

The uterus is an organ necessary for bearing a fetus. In abnormal pregnancy, the attachment of a fertilized egg occurs outside this organ. This leads to the impossibility of the full development of the fetus (for example, attachment occurs in the ovaries or fallopian tubes). This condition of the body is called an ectopic pregnancy.

Characteristic signs of pathology:

• unbearable and sharp pain;
• loss of consciousness;
• pain shock;
• dizziness.

If treatment is ignored, severe bleeding may occur, which threatens the woman's life.

Causes

An ectopic pregnancy occurs for several reasons:

• infectious diseases;
• failure of the hormonal background;
• the use of an intrauterine device;
• long-term use of medications for the treatment of infertility;
• inflammation of the appendages, uterus;
• adhesions;
• abortions;
• neoplasms on the tubes, ovaries.

How to recognize an ectopic pregnancy

Rapid detection of pathological pregnancy, as well as timely provision of medical assistance, will help prevent the occurrence of complications. But it is extremely difficult to identify pathology in the early stages, since by its signs it resembles normal pregnancy. For example, a delay in menstruation is present in both cases.

With pathology, spotting spotting occurs. But even this symptom is not a sign of a problematic condition, because during a normal pregnancy, sometimes there are also discharges. But menstruation with pathological attachment of a fertilized egg is slightly different in nature (long and dark in color). Therefore, women can distinguish between normal and abnormal discharge.

Another symptom of pathological pregnancy should include pain in the lower abdomen. In most cases, they occur in the first weeks of delayed menstruation.

Difference between natural and ectopic pregnancy

To recognize the pathological process, it is important to know the symptoms of the normal and abnormal course of pregnancy.

Natural pregnancy is characterized by the following symptoms:

• deterioration of well-being;
• morning sickness;
• breast enlargement and pain when touching it;
• delayed monthly payments.

Distinctive features of an ectopic pregnancy:

• jumps in blood pressure
• brown spotting;
• pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, cramping and growing in nature;
• constant dizziness;
• weakness.

Will a pregnancy test show pathology

The main purpose of any pregnancy test is to detect the level of hCG, which begins to form, regardless of the place of attachment of the fertilized cell. The test detects both natural pregnancy and ectopic. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to determine this device What kind of pregnancy do you have?

Sometimes on the test you can see 2 strips of an unequal shade, one is lighter, the other is saturated. In such a case, doctors advise trying several tests from different companies with intervals of several hours. With a similar result, be sure to visit a gynecologist.

For any suspicion of an abnormal course of pregnancy, do not hesitate, go to your doctor, get tested. Early diagnosis of the pathological condition will avoid complications.

The pharmacy sells a large number of cheap and expensive pregnancy tests. But they cannot show the presence of pathology. Only a doctor, after examination and tests, is able to determine what kind of pregnancy you have.

With a long delay in menstruation, be sure to go to the gynecologist to confirm the presence or absence of pregnancy.

Pathological pregnancy test

There are certain tests on sale, thanks to which it is possible to diagnose the onset of conception, as well as pathological disorders in the early stages of pregnancy, for example: the threat of miscarriage, abnormal fetal attachment.

These analyzers are quite easy to use at home. In this case, there is one important condition: you can apply the test only in the first 2 weeks of a delay in menstruation.

To get an accurate result, follow certain rules:

• carefully read the instructions for using the test;
• use only morning urine for the test;
• use the test right after you open it.

The reliability of such a device is 90%, the effectiveness of the threat of miscarriage is 65%. The indicators are high, but not giving a 100% guarantee, so you still have to visit a doctor.