Ectopic pregnancy

What is an ectopic pregnancy?
When an egg is released and nestles in the Fallopian tubes instead of in the uterus. Normally, sperm in the vagina travel up to the tubes to fertilise the egg and the egg travels down into the uterus where it settles in the wall of the uterus, where it will start to grow into an embroyo. In an ectopic pregnancy, the egg becomes stuck in the Fallopian tubes and has to be removed, either naturally or medically. There's nothing in particular you can do to prevent ectopic pregnancy - it just happens. However, if you have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past, your next pregnancy will be closely monitored.

What happens exactly?
The egg starts to grow, but the Fallopian tubes are too small to take an embroyo. The presence of the egg causes pain and bleeding from 3-6 weeks of pregnancy. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis, so if your period is late and you are suffering from pain in your lower stomach, you should see your doctor in case you could have an ectopic pregnancy. 

How is ectopic pregnancy treated?
If undetected, many ectopic pregnancies result in tubal abortions (many women think they have had a miscarriage). If you experience pain or bleeding you should see a doctor immediately. Ectopic pregnancy has to be treated urgently with surgery as soon as possible. The growth of the egg can cause the Fallopian tube to rupture and cause severe haemorrhage (cataclysmic haemorrhage, in medical terms). You don't always get sharp pain with haemorrhage; the pain may be mild if the haemorrhage is slow. Treatment involves surgery to make an incision in the Fallopian tube or remove the tube to remove the pregnancy (depending on severity). If possible, keyhole surgery is performed to reduce scarring. In some cases, medication can be used to stop the embroyo from growing (methotrexate).

What are the consequences?
Don't worry: an ectopic pregnancy doesn't make you infertile. In most cases (around 60%), women who have had an ectopic pregnancy will manage to fall pregnant again within the next two years. Of course, expectant mothers who are deemed 'high risk' will be closely monitored, especially throughout the early stages of pregnancy.