| Ectopic Pregnancy - A Complication Of Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which the fertilized ovum is implanted in any tissue other than the uterine wall.
Ectopic pregnancy, also known as a tubal pregnancy, is a potentially life-threatening form of pregnancy in which implantation of the fertilized egg occurs outside the uterus.
An ectopic pregnancy can happen to any sexually active woman, but certain women are more at risk than others. Your odds of having an ectopic pregnancy are higher if:
• You get pregnant despite having had a tubal ligation (surgical sterilization).
• You've had surgery on your fallopian tubes to correct a problem or to reverse a tubal ligation. (Your risk is also higher, though to a much smaller degree, if you've had other pelvic or abdominal surgery, such as the removal of an ovarian cyst or fibroids, an appendectomy, or a cesarean section.)
• You had a previous ectopic pregnancy.
• Your mother took the drug DES while pregnant with you.
• You have an intrauterine device (IUD) in place when you get pregnant. Although IUDs are close to 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, if you do get pregnant while using one, it's more likely that the pregnancy will be ectopic. An IUD doesn't cause an ectopic pregnancy, it's just better at preventing an egg from implanting in your uterus than outside it. (Having used an IUD in the past won't raise your risk for ectopic pregnancy.)
Online Opinion Poll
The CDC recently reported a rise in the teen birth rate. Many wonder why when we are learning about filed contraceptive measures at school are those same schools handing out condoms. Doing so is likened to a story my grandfather always told me, "It’s like giving a kid candy and telling them it’s not good for them and they shouldn’t eat it, but here it is just in case you get a craving for some. Wouldn’t we wonder why so many kids are eating candy?" It’s like giving teenagers the keys to your sports car and a six pack and telling them to be good and not get into trouble or wreck the car. Let’s stop promoting unclear messages and let our children know that the only safe way and the best way is abstinence. It encourages healthy choices and healthy life styles.
Ectopic pregnancy is a very serious condition
About 97% of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube. The remainder implant in the abdominal cavity, on the ovary, or within the cervix. Heterotopic pregnancies occur in one of these areas, while there is also a pregnancy in the uterus. Approximately 100,000 ectopic pregnancies occur each year. Approximately 1 in 66 women will experience this type of pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is a very serious condition. When the pregnancy grows in these abnormal areas, it can easily cause massive, rapid bleeding, and even death.
Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube (so-called tubal pregnancies), but implantation can also occur in the cervix, ovaries, and abdomen. The fetus produces enzymes that allow it to implant in varied types of tissues, and thus an embryo implanted elsewhere than the uterus can cause great tissue damage in its efforts to reach a sufficient supply of blood.
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