How to know that an ectopic pregnancy

How to know that an ectopic pregnancy

Detection of ectopic pregnancy

In the event of an ectopic Pregnancy, the fertilized egg attaches and grows abnormally in places other than the uterus, such as the fallopian tubes, cervix, or abdominal cavity.[١] the surest way to detect an ectopic pregnancy is to see a doctor to make the appropriate diagnosis, as we will stand on that below the article, and the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy can be inferred from some symptoms.[١]

Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, a woman gets a positive result of a pregnancy test, and she may also notice the appearance of some natural symptoms of pregnancy, such as the absence of menstruation, nausea and breast pain, but the symptoms that indicate the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy are usually not apparent except when the growth of a fertilized egg increases in a place other than the uterus, [٢] the most important of these symptoms are the following:

• Abdominal pain: a woman may feel constant or intermittent pain in the abdomen, which appears suddenly or gradually on one side or one side of the lower abdomen, with the caveat that the causes of abdominal pain during pregnancy are many and do not necessarily mean an ectopic pregnancy; examples include gases.[٣]

• Vaginal Bleeding: (Vaginal Bleeding) vaginal bleeding in this case is different from menstrual bleeding, in this case it is not continuous, its color tends to dark brown, and it may be of a water-like consistency.it is worth noting that bleeding is common during pregnancy and does not necessarily mean there is a problem with pregnancy, but it is worth seeing a doctor if it occurs.[٣]

• Feeling pain above the shoulder: in this case, the woman feels unusual pain at the point where the shoulder meets the arm, and although the cause is unknown, it may indicate internal bleeding caused by an ectopic pregnancy, in which case she should see a doctor immediately.[٤]

• Discomfort when going to the bathroom: this occurs due to some natural changes in bowel and bladder movement during pregnancy, which leads to pain when urinating or defecating, or diarrhea, with confirmation that this symptom may be associated with other conditions unrelated to ectopic pregnancy, such as urinary tract infection.[٤]

Symptoms of bursting and rupture of the fallopian tubes

In some cases, an ectopic pregnancy may grow and enlarge, leading to a rupture in one of the fallopian tubes (Fallopian tube Rupture), and it should be warned that this is a serious thing that requires surgery to be performed quickly to try to repair damage in the fallopian tubes, and the most prominent symptoms that may indicate the occurrence of rupture are:[٣]

• Feeling suddenly severe pain in the abdomen.

• Feeling nauseous.

• Feeling dizzy or fainting.

• Pallor of the face.

Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy

In the event of an ectopic pregnancy, the doctor will conduct a pelvic examination to determine the location of pain or a lump in one of the fallopian tubes or in the ovary, but this is not enough to diagnose the injury, [٥] and to confirm the presence of an ectopic pregnancy may need to perform many other tests, most notably the following:

• Pregnancy blood test: pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in the rate of the human Chorionic gonadotropin hormone (human Chorionic Gonadotropin), known as the pregnancy hormone, and to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, the doctor may request an examination of this hormone, then re-conduct it within 48 hours, and follow up the hormone level for several times, until the ability to confirm the diagnosis via ultrasound (about 5-6 weeks of pregnancy).[٥]

• Using ultrasound: vaginal ultrasound: the doctor uses it to diagnose and confirm the presence of an ectopic pregnancy, by easily inserting the examination instrument into the vagina without the need to use local anesthesia, so the specialist will most often be able to find out if the fertilized egg has implanted in any of the fallopian tubes, although it is difficult to detect this in some cases.[٦] abdominal ultrasound: the doctor moves the ultrasound instrument on the abdomen, in order to confirm the diagnosis or to follow up internal bleeding, if any.[٥]

• Other blood tests: in some cases, the doctor requests further tests, such as a complete blood count, to check for any sign of bleeding, in addition to the need to know the patient's blood type in anticipation of the need for a blood transfusion.[٥]
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Summary of the article

Symptoms may help to infer the presence of an ectopic pregnancy, but ultrasound examination and blood tests are the sure ways to diagnose this condition, and in case of suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy, emergency medical care should be sought to avoid rupture of one of the fallopian tubes, in which pregnancy often occurs in such cases.