Symptoms of an Ectopic Pregnancy

Posted on Apr 23, 2013 | Pregnancy Symptoms Category | | Print This Article

When the most exciting times in your life can be when you find out that you’re pregnant. That positive pregnancy test, which is so often followed by those early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness, is in many ways overwhelming. Yet, for some women, the excitement lasts only a moment. That’s because instead of actually being pregnant, they are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.

What is an ectopic pregnancy?

Normally, when you get pregnant, your ovaries release an egg into your fallopian tube. That egg then meets with the sperm, travels to the uterus, and attaches to the lining. There it stays and grows until you’re ready to have your baby.

About 2% of pregnancies, however, are ectopic pregnancies. What this means is that the egg, after it is fertilized, stays in the fallopian tube. This is also called a tubal pregnancy.

An ectopic pregnancy is not a viable pregnancy. Left alone, it will not turn into a regular pregnancy. Instead, it could prove dangerous, and even fatal to you.

How do I know if I have an ectopic pregnancy?

In many cases, some of the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy resemble symptoms of pregnancy. Your hormone levels may change, indicating a positive pregnancy test result. You might even have morning sickness.

However, there are a number of symptoms and watch out for that might indicate you have ectopic pregnancy:

• Shoulder, rectum, or neck pain
• Vomiting or nausea
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Sharp cramps in the abdomen
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Severe pain on just one side of the body
• Spotting

if you are having these kinds of symptoms, you need to talk to your doctor immediately. In most cases, you need to make a visit to the emergency room. It is important that you get under medical care immediately in order to reduce the risks of long-term damage to your reproductive system.

Most women who experience an ectopic pregnancy who decide to try to conceive again are successful later on.

Related articles

• Ectopic Pregnancy Story; They Removed My Right Tube (therealsupermumblog.com)
• Well: Childbirth: Ectopic Pregnancy and Fertility (well.blogs.nytimes.com)

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