Symptom of Tubal Pregnancy

Symptom of Tubal Pregnancy: Are You at Risk?

Tubal pregnancies are caused in instances where something blocks the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. Most ectopic pregnancies are discovered within the first eight weeks of pregnancy. Causes of this kind of pregnancy include:

• Infection in fallopian tubes
• Endometriosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Scarring from previous surgeries

In some cases, a cause for a tubal pregnancy is not found. Getting one’s tubes tied and then reversing the procedure can increase the risk for having an ectopic pregnancy. In other cases, using hormonal birth control like the pill or an IUD can increase chances for this type of pregnancy.

One symptom of tubal pregnancy is pain or cramping on one side of the pelvis. Abdominal pain is another sign. Other things to look for include:

• Abnormal bleeding
• Nausea
• Shoulder pain
• Dizziness
• Breast tenderness
• Lower back pain

Tubal pregnancies can cause the area affected to rupture. This can make symptoms worse. Signs of a rupture include sudden and severe pain in the lower abdomen and fainting. The bleeding from a rupture can send you into shock.

Testing for Tubal Pregnancy

When you visit your healthcare provider, tell him/her any symptom of tubal pregnancy that you are having. Your physician will then perform tests to determine whether or not your pregnancy is indeed ectopic. Testing for pain or tenderness in the abdominal area is likely to be the first test he/she performs.

After determining that your symptoms coincide with those of a tubal pregnancy, your doctor may perform one or more other tests to determine your status. An ultrasound may be done to check for implantation in the uterus. A white blood cell count might be taken. Blood tests may be run to check for a normal level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a pregnancy hormone that rises with pregnancy. Checking for blood in the pelvic area may be done. Sometimes, a laparoscopy may be necessary to determine the position of the pregnancy.

Treatment for Tubal Pregnancy

Although a pregnancy test may come back positive, a tubal pregnancy cannot be carried to term. Therefore, the pregnancy must be terminated for the health of the mother. If the pregnancy has ruptured, emergency treatment, blood transfusions, oxygen, antibiotics, and fluids are given to the mother. Surgery, often a form of laparoscopy, is then done to repair any damage and to remove the pregnancy.

In severe cases, hemorrhaging occurs in the mother and sometimes the tube may be fully or partially lost. To see photos of what an actual laparoscopy looks like in a tubal pregnancy, click here.

For pregnancies without a rupture, there are two options. Sometimes a small surgery will be done. Other times, a drug called methotrexate will be given to the mother.

Effects on Future Fertility

Women who have experienced a tubal pregnancy in the past will most likely be able to have a normal pregnancy in the future, if it was discovered early and no rupturing occurred. If a procedure had to be performed to save the tube, a woman may be at higher risk for future complications.

Chances of having another ectopic pregnancy run any where between 10 and 20 percent for most women. If you become pregnant after having a previous tubal pregnancy, contact your doctor even if you are showing no symptom of tubal pregnancy so that he/she can determine that your pregnancy is normal.

Sometimes women cannot become pregnant again, while other times a spontaneous abortion will occur within the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.

Any woman experiencing a symptom of tubal pregnancy should make an appointment with her doctor to ensure the health of herself and her fetus.