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Tubal Pregnancy |
| Date Added: January 26, 2010 02:32:30 PM |
| Author: |
| Category: Literature: FAQs |
| Specifying the problemIn a regular pregnancy, a fertilized egg travels through an oviduct to the uterus. The egg implants in the uterus and begins growing. But in an ectopic pregnancy (also known as an extrauterine pregnancy), a fertilized egg implants in another organ but not the womb, usually in a uterine tube. An ectopic pregnancy is often brough on by damage to the fallopian tubes. A fertilized egg can have trouble passing through a damaged tube. Hence, the egg is forced to attach and develop in the tube. Rarely, the egg attaches to an ovary, the cervix or the abdomen. If the egg keeps growing in the damaged uterine tube, it can damage or rupture the tube and cause severe haemorrhage which could be fatal. If you have an extrauterine pregnancy, you require rapid treatment to end it before it bring about life-threatening problems. What puts pregnancy at risk? 1. Smoking. The more you smoke, the higher your risk of an extrauterine pregnancy. 2. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). It is often brought on by sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea. 3. Endometroid heterotopia that can cause healing tissue in or around the salpinges. 4. Exposure to the chemical DES before birth. 5. Repeated induced abortions. Symptoms Abdominal or pelvic pain, often one-sided, is the first common symptom of an ectopic pregnancy. There can also be shoulder and neck pain. The pain is commonly acute. Weakness, dizziness or fainting can indicate grave internal bleeding which requires immediate medical attention. Diagnosis An ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed by means of a pelvic exam, an ultrasound. The most useful laboratory test is the measurement of the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Treatment methods Treatment of an ectopic pregnancy is operation, often by laparoscopy these days, to excise the extrauterine pregnancy. A ruptured Oviduct usually has to be excised. If the tube has not ruptured yet, it may be possible to fix it. Future pregnancies The extent of the operation determines the probability of sucessful future pregnancies. If the Salpinx has been spared, the probability of a successful pregnancy is usually better than 50%. If a salpinx has been excised, an egg can be fertilized in the other tube, and the possibility of a successful pregnancy is lower than 50%. |
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