"A pregnancy growing in the wrong place"
What are ectopic pregnancies?
Ectopic pregnancies are ones in which the baby is growing in the fallopian tubes, usually, and not in the womb. This might happen because the tubes are scarred from a previous infection, particularly chlamydia.
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When do they occur?
You can have an ectopic pregnancy before you know you are pregnant (anytime after the first three weeks after conception), and commonly up to 12 weeks of pregnancy or even later.
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Why are ectopic pregnancies serious?
Ectopic pregnancies can be a medical emergency because the fallopian tube can break, rupture, which can be very serious for the girl or women. Ectopic pregnancies are also a common cause of infertility because damaged tubes might prevent either sperm reaching eggs to fertilise them or fertilised eggs reaching the womb.
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How will I know if I am having an ectopic pregnancy?
Any girl or women who can get pregnant can have an ectopic pregnancy, You do need to be of childbearing age and to have had sexual intercourse recently. Sometimes you will know that you are pregnant. Other times you will have just missed a period and might not be sure that you are pregnant. Your body will eventually let you know that there is a pregnancy in your tube, you will usually have pains in your pelvis, and/or bleeding but this is a relatively late symptom.
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What does the pain in the pelvis feel like?
Ectopic pain can come on suddenly. It usually occurs only on one side, but this might not be the side that has the 'ectopic tube'. It can last a long time, constantly and be very strong.
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Why can you sometimes get pain at the tip of your shoulder?
If you are having an ectopic pregnancy, you might get a pain in your shoulder. Although this might seem a bit strange, it is caused by blood leaking out of the broken tube and irritating the diaphragm, which is the sheet of muscle that sits under your lungs. The diaphragm and the shoulder share a group of nerves, and these nerves can get confused, this is called referred pain. Referral of pain is also why heart attacks are sometimes felt in the left arm.
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Why should I take advice if I have bleeding that is not normal for me?
If the ectopic tube has broken, you might experience sudden bleeding from your vagina. Do seek help from a doctor if:
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Your bleeding is heavier or lighter than usual, and is prolonged. Unlike bleeding during your normal monthly period this bleeding is dark and watery, sometimes it is described as looking like 'prune juice'.
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You experience pain when you go to the toilet. You might have had this pain for a while before the pelvic pain started.
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If you know that you are pregnant, any odd symptoms like these should be mentioned to your doctor or midwife at your regular check-ups.
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Why might I feel faint or collapse suddenly?
If you are having an ectopic pregnancy you might feel light-headed or faint and, or, look pale and, or, your pulse might be very fast. These symptoms are signs that you are losing blood, not enough blood is getting to your brain. You will probably feel that something is very wrong and might also have sickness and diarrhoea. If you have any of these symptoms, you should get medical help as soon as you can. If you are losing a lot of blood, you might collapse and your doctor will find you have low blood pressure.
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If I am suspected of having an ectopic pregnancy, what tests will they offer me at the Accident and Emergency Department?
If you have some of the symptoms described above, which are also common to other conditions, your doctor will probably do a pregnancy test. This test might or might not be positive and other blood tests may be needed to confirm whether you are pregnant and are having an ectopic pregnancy. You will then be offered the most appropriate treatment and care.
For more information
www.ectopic.org
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