Signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages

As soon as a woman begins to feel the first changes in the body, as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed by the test, it brings a whole bunch of different emotions. And if the pregnancy is desired, then the woman is trying by all means to protect her tiny embryo from various negative factors. But doctors do not advise rushing to conclusions ahead of time. To confirm pregnancy, the first thing you need to do is an ultrasound. It will help determine where the fetal egg is attached. But it happens that a woman finds out the terrible news - there is no fetal egg in the uterine cavity. This suggests that it was attached in another, not intended for this place. Unfortunately, this situation does not give positive forecasts. Such a pregnancy cannot be endured, but this is not the most dangerous thing. This is about the health and life of a woman. If an ectopic pregnancy is not recognized in time, this can lead to irreparable consequences.

What is an ectopic pregnancy

Normally, pregnancy develops as follows. An ovule comes out of the ovaries during ovulation, ready for fertilization. If spermatozoa fall into the cervix during this period, they begin to move towards the egg. Fertilization usually occurs in the fallopian tube, after which the zygote (the fertilized egg) begins to move toward the uterus. In this, special chorionic villi help her, which roll the future embryo into the uterine cavity with small fibers. After all, there are all the conditions for the development of pregnancy. As soon as the ovum enters the uterus, it attaches. This is how a healthy pregnancy develops. But if something goes wrong, the fetal egg may attach itself to other places not intended for this.

1. Tubal pregnancy. Almost always an ectopic pregnancy is tubal. That is, the ovum is attached to the inner wall of the fallopian tube. In this case, the fetal egg simply does not come out of the tube or comes out, and then falls back into it. If the fetal egg is fixed in the tube, this can be very dangerous, because the tissues of the tube are not elastic, like the ovaries and the uterus. Therefore, with the growth of the embryo, the tube breaks very quickly.
2. Ovarian pregnancy. If fertilization does not occur in the tube, but also in the ovary, then the fetal egg, as a rule, immediately attaches to the same place. In this case, the correct diagnosis is complicated by the diagnosis. According to the picture through the ultrasound machine, many doctors confuse ovarian pregnancy with cystic compaction in the ovary, which requires different treatment tactics.
3. Cervical pregnancy. This is one of the most dangerous types of ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the zygote enters the uterus, but does not fix there, but slides down to its neck. If an ectopic pregnancy is not recognized in time, the fetal egg, due to its rapid growth, can break adjacent tissues. And if it is a pipe, then it is completely removed, but the woman has a second pipe and she still has a chance to become a mother. But if a fetal egg breaks the cervix to save a woman, the entire uterus must be removed. This makes her unable to give birth again.
4. Abdominal pregnancy. When the fetal egg does not enter the uterus, but is located behind the peritoneum, this is also considered a pathology, because there are no conditions for the survival of the embryo.

An ectopic pregnancy is an absolute indication for its termination, moreover, emergency.In scientific medical practice, there are several world cases where a woman, with the help of doctors, managed to bear a fetus in the abdominal cavity or in the ovary. But such children, as a rule, are premature, weak, they have a high risk of various pathologies. How to avoid such a development of events and recognize an ectopic pregnancy in time?

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages

An ectopic pregnancy has the same symptoms and signs as a healthy one - a woman feels engorgement and enlargement of the mammary glands, she has a delay in menstrual bleeding, toxicosis appears in the form of intolerance to odors and some dishes. The woman's mood changes, she becomes tearful or irritated - in general, everything is as usual. But are there any signs that may indicate that the pregnancy is not normal? How to recognize an ectopic pregnancy by the first symptoms?

1. Test. The first thing you need to do is a pregnancy test, and not one, but several. For example, with a healthy pregnancy, the level of hCG in the body increases exponentially. That is, if you do the test every day or even twice a day, the second strip will be more and more noticeable each time. If the dynamics of the second strip does not become brighter, but remains pale or completely disappeared - most likely you have an ectopic pregnancy. This is one of the most obvious and reliable signs. Instead of the test, you can donate blood for hCG in the laboratory. In this case, the dynamics of the increase in the hormone will be even more obvious.
2. Bloody issues. Another sign of ectopic pregnancy is uncharacteristic discharge. With a healthy pregnancy, there may be minor spotting, not more than a few drops, the color is usually brown. This may indicate the attachment of a fetal egg to the uterus. But if there is a lot of blood, it has a scarlet or brown color, if the discharge is more than three drops, but less than during normal menstruation, this is most likely an ectopic pregnancy. Remember that there may not be blood during an ectopic pregnancy if the fetal egg has fixed in the peritoneum.
3. Pain. Of course, the stomach can hurt even during a physiological pregnancy, if there is a threat of miscarriage. But sharp and sharp pain most often indicates an ectopic pregnancy. If the fetal egg is fixed in the tube, the woman feels a tingling sensation on one side of the abdomen, the pain is like colic. The pain during ectopic pregnancy is aggravated by walking, getting out of bed, and getting up from a chair.
4. Malaise. All pregnant women have a slight weakness and weakness - this is normal. But if your condition really worsens, there should be no doubt - you have an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the woman usually lies weak, her blood pressure may drop due to internal bleeding. If the blood loss is large, this can lead to dizziness and fainting. High fever, malaise, chills - all this indicates the need for urgent medical care.

A woman who already has one child, as a rule, quickly recognizes an ectopic pregnancy, because she has something to compare. But even if you are pregnant for the first time, you need to carefully listen to your body. It is better to go to the doctor once again and confirm that everything is normal than to have dangerous consequences and complications.

Why an ectopic pregnancy occurs

Doctors still cannot give a definite answer to this question. An ectopic pregnancy often develops in women who already had some problems with the reproductive system, but sometimes such a pregnancy also occurs in an absolutely healthy woman. Here are some factors that can trigger the attachment of a fetal egg in the wrong place.

1. Inflammatory processes. With any inflammatory processes, the mucosa of the internal female organs changes its structure. This affects the work of the chorionic villi, which cannot roll the fetal egg to the uterus and it attaches wherever necessary. Inflammatory processes often lead to blockage and obstruction of the fallopian tubes.
2. Individual characteristics. Some women have an anatomical feature of the structure of the fallopian tubes - they may be too long, winding, curved. In this case, the fetal egg simply can not overcome the long and difficult path, as a result, it is attached in the pipe.
3. Commissures. If a woman had a history of surgical interventions, this can lead to adhesions - small seals in the structure of the tube that simply do not pass the fetal egg into the uterus.
4. Hormones. All processes in the body are controlled by hormones. If their balance is disturbed, the process of moving the fetal egg to the uterus also stops. Hormones regulate the villi that push the egg toward the uterus.
5. Tumors If there are tumors of various genesis in the uterus, ovaries or tube, then this often becomes a physical obstacle to the course of the fetal egg.

In some cases, a risk factor for the appearance of an ectopic pregnancy may be prolonged use of oral contraceptives or the use of potent disposable contraceptives, which are taken after sexual intercourse (according to the type of Escapel and Postinor).

Ectopic pregnancy - diagnosis and prognosis

If you suspect that you have symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. As a rule, if the period is very short, then it is difficult to determine the location of the ovum by ultrasound. At this stage, the dynamics of the hormone hCG and progesterone are observed. With a shortage or weak dynamics of these hormones, doctors suggest an ectopic or frozen pregnancy. Already at 4-5 weeks of pregnancy, you can determine the location of the fetal egg. If he is not in the uterine cavity, the doctor continues to look for him in the ovaries, tube, neck and peritoneum.

An ectopic pregnancy is not a sentence. In 85% of cases, a woman after a similar pathology becomes pregnant again and has a healthy baby. Pregnancy and childbirth is a responsible matter that must be approached with all seriousness. Be sure to get ready for conception, check the body for hidden infections and inflammatory processes. And then you can reduce the risk of developing various pathologies in yourself and your future baby. After all, every woman has the right to become a mother and inhale the sweet smell of her baby!

Video: ectopic pregnancy