What Is An Ectopic Pregnancy?

The word “ectopic” means out of place. An ectopic pregnancy happens when the fertilized egg, the embryo, is implanted outside the uterus, usually in the Fallopian tube, which is also called a tubal pregnancy.

A woman’s body cannot carry ectopic pregnancy to term; if left untreated, it can be life-threatening to the woman. Keep reading to learn about the signs of ectopic pregnancy and how you can determine if you have this condition.

Normal Pregnancies

In a normal healthy pregnancy, the embryo implants in the uterus wall. The placenta forms and the pregnancy continues to develop.

An ectopic pregnancy can rupture the tube, which is what can cause danger to the woman.

What Causes Ectopic Pregnancies?

According to the March of Dimes, ectopic pregnancies happen in about 1 out of every 50 pregnancies in the U.S.

Any woman can have an ectopic pregnancy, and there’s no way to prevent one. The following risk factors, however, can make it more likely:

PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
Smoking cigarettes
STIs (sexually transmitted infections)
Being older than 35
Having multiple sexual partners

Signs of an Ectopic Pregnancy

It’s difficult to tell immediately if your pregnancy is ectopic because you’ll experience usual pregnancy symptoms. However, there are symptoms you should monitor, such as:

Light vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain
Upset stomach and vomiting
Sharp abdominal cramps
Pain in your shoulder, neck, lower back, or rectum
Dizziness or fainting

An ultrasound is the best way to know if you have an ectopic pregnancy because of the images that it will generate of your pregnancy.

No-Cost Ultrasounds

Zoe, A Women’s Center, offers no-cost pregnancy services such as free pregnancy testing and limited ultrasounds.

The benefit of an ultrasound is that this scan shows essential details such as the location and viability of the pregnancy as well as how far along you are (gestational age.)

If located outside the uterus, it’s an ectopic pregnancy, and you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

The viability status will let you know if your pregnancy is a miscarriage, which will require a process different from an abortion.

The gestational age will help you know if you’re eligible for specific procedures. For example, a medication abortion is only approved for up to 10 weeks.