| Ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube
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.
Ectopic Pregnancies - Worst Nightmare
Ectopic pregnancies are sometimes difficult to diagnose. An ectopic pregnancy is suspected if a woman has symptoms of a late menses, irregular vaginal bleeding, or abdominal pain. Shoulder pain and a feeling of rectal pressure is also associated with ectopic pregnancy. However, some women have no symptoms (other than those of pregnancy), making the diagnosis difficult at times.
What is an ectopic pregnancy?
If a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, it's called an ectopic pregnancy. One in 50 pregnancies ends this way.
Here's how it happens: After conception, the fertilized egg travels down your fallopian tube on its way to your uterus. If the tube is damaged or blocked and fails to propel the egg toward your womb, the egg may become implanted in the tube and continue to develop there. Because almost all ectopic pregnancies occur in one of the fallopian tubes, they're often called "tubal" pregnancies.
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.)
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