Ectopic Pregnancies: The Pain and Treatment

One of the most tragic events foran expectant mother – aside from miscarriage – is the discovery that hers is an ectopic pregnancy. Although many women don’t know what this means, they soon discover that it is a very serious condition that may threaten her life. There isn't much that can be done for an ectopic pregnancy, but quick action is necessary to avoid damage to the mother or the inability to have subsequent normal pregnancies.

An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg is implanted in tissue outside of the uterus, and the child begins to develop there rather than in its usual spot in the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy can happen in the fallopian tubes, the ovary, the abdomen or in the cervix, the most common of which is inside the fallopian tube.

In most cases, an ectopic pregnancy is caused by a pre-existing condition that obstructs the fertilized egg from supplanting in the uterus. This can be caused by a cyst, a tumor, a build-up of scar tissue or another issue entirely. Regardless of the reason, the zygote begins to develop in a place that it shouldn’t. This can cause numerous problems, the least of which is discomfort in the abdomen.

It is estimated that 46% of women who experience an ectopic pregnancy have a medical history of salpingitis or pelvic inflammatory disease. The possibility of an ectopic pregnancy also becomes more likely for women who unsuccessfully use medicated IUD’s, the morning after pill or who have had tubal sterilization reversals. These things can cause problems during conception, and may not make themselves known until several weeks into the pregnancy.

Since 1970, the occurrence of ectopic pregnancies has more than quadrupled, and now is estimated at one in every forty pregnancies. This can only be attributed to the rise in technology that has been developed to prevent pregnancy. When a form of contraception is used incorrectly, or if it fails to work, the result can be an ectopic pregnancy. It is almost as if the contraception worked part way, but not fully.