Ectopic pregnancy: symptoms and treatment

Ectopic pregnancy occurs due to the fact that the fertilized egg does not reach its ultimate goal - the uterus, and is transplanted in the ovary, peritoneum or tube. Most often there is a tubal pregnancy, when the embryo attaches to the uterine tube mucosa and develops there. The thickness of the fallopian (uterine) tube varies from 1 to 5 millimeters, so when the attached egg begins to grow, its walls are stretched, pain arises. If untimely detection and treatment of ectopic pregnancy occurs, the tube breaks, which leads to internal bleeding and poses a threat to the life and health of a woman.

The causes of ectopic pregnancy may be different. Violation of the patency of pipes and damage to its mucous membrane, as well as changes in the properties of the mucous secretion can lead to implantation of the fetal egg in an "unauthorized" place. In addition, the cause of this pathology may be the accelerated development of the egg itself. The fact is that the egg is shrouded in a special shell, which prevents premature implantation. Sometimes a fetal egg loses the protective membrane ahead of time and the embryo attaches to the mucosa while still on its way to its ultimate goal.

How does ectopic pregnancy manifest? And does it manifest at all? How not to miss the alarming symptoms? Such questions are visited by many pregnant women, especially those who are waiting for their first baby.

Ectopic pregnancy - symptoms

Ectopic pregnancy is a serious and dangerous disease. It should be noted that symptoms with ectopic pregnancy will begin to manifest after a while after menstruation. It is important to pay attention to bad health in time and contact the doctor.

The very first sign of trouble is pain. It is pricking or cutting and allows you to suspect that a woman has an ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms at first can not be very troubling, but with the growth of the fetal egg, the pain will increase so much that you can lose consciousness. Usually, pain sensations are localized on one side of the abdomen (where the affected tube is located), but can take a more "blurred" character.

If a woman watches bleeding or spotting on the background of a delay in the menstrual cycle, then this can be an ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms of the disease can be similar to the threat of miscarriage, so you need to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Bloody discharge can be abundant or scarce, most often they have a brown tint.

In a quarter of cases, when ectopic pregnancy develops, the symptoms of external bleeding are absent, because the blood pours inside, into the abdominal cavity. This can cause shock and collapse in a woman.

Another sign of ectopic pregnancy is pain when urinating or defecating.

If any such signs are found, it is necessary to appear urgently to the doctor, since this disease, if untimely detected and treated, can lead to internal bleeding, which poses a threat to the health and life of the woman.

Ectopic pregnancy - diagnosis

Diagnosis of pregnancy outside the womb at an early age is difficult. Perhaps a woman will have to undergo a check-up several times, until the cause of her poor state of health is clearly established. Ectopic pregnancy can be detected on ultrasound, with vaginal examination, as well as by analysis of the amount of chorionic gonadotropin in the blood. With ectopic pregnancy, it is allocated significantly less than with the "correct" implantation of the embryo in the uterus. The sooner an ectopic pregnancy is detected, the greater the chances of keeping the tube and the health of the woman.

Ectopic pregnancy - treatment

Treatment depends on the stage of the disease. If the egg is small in size, it is possible to expel it from the tube with medication or microsurgical intervention (introduction of a concentrated solution of glucose through the endoscope). If an ectopic pregnancy is found on a long term, or internal bleeding occurs , surgery will be required with removal of the tube.