Ectopic or extrauterine pregnancy, is one that is gestated outside the uterine cavity. That is, in a normal pregnancy, the ovum, once fertilized by the sperm, nests in the walls of the uterus, where it will grow during the 9 months of the pregnancy. In the case of ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg fails to reach the right area and stays in the fallopian tube and even in other inappropriate areas.
Different cases of ectopic pregnancy, but in either case, the pregnancy is not viable and needs to be terminated before the consequences are serious for the woman. This type of pregnancy requires medical treatment. Depending on the state of the pregnancy and when it is detected that it is an ectopic pregnancy, you will need one or another medical treatment.
Types of ectopic pregnancy
When the embryo begins to grow before it has reached the uterine cavity, it is an ectopic or extrauterine pregnancy. There are several types of ectopic pregnancy, depending on the area where the fertilized egg nests, the possibilities are as follows:
- Tubal pregnancy: In this case the embryo nests in the fallopian tubes. This type of ectopic pregnancy is the most common.
- Non-tubal ectopic pregnancy: What happens when the embryo implants in one of ovaries, abdominal cavity or cervix.
Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes. Although to a lesser extent in an unusual way they can occur in any of the areas that we have mentioned. In any case, once the doctor detects that it is an ectopic pregnancy, it is necessary to start with the appropriate treatment to terminate the pregnancy and thus avoid complications of varying severity to women.
Treatments for ectopic pregnancy
It is usually in the 8th week of pregnancy when the specialist discovers that the pregnancy is ectopic. It is at that moment when it is necessary to decide which is the best treatment, according to the situation and the state of pregnancy. It is a painful and unexpected situation that can leave you blocked and unable to react. But you must be aware that in that case, it is impossible for the pregnancy to reach term and therefore it is necessary to interrupt it as soon as possible.
There are several types of treatment for ectopic pregnancy:
- Through a drug called methotrexate: With the administration of this medicine the dissolution of the embryo is obtained, which will be expelled naturally through bleeding. This bleeding should not be painful and will be more abundant than one of your periods. Methotrexate treatment can be used as long as the first trimester of pregnancy is not exceeded. In more advanced pregnancies, the treatment will in any case be surgical.
- Through surgery: In this case there can be two options, the partial salpingectomy, where only the area of the fallopian tube where the ectopic pregnancy has occurred is removed. And the total salpingectomy, which means that the entire tube will be removed.
In any case, surgery does not necessarily mean infertility. In fact, in most cases, partial removal allows the tube to be reattached in the future, thus expanding the chances of fertility. Even if the entire fallopian tube is removed, the woman can continue to be fertile through the other egg that she still has.
One of the main symptoms of ectopic pregnancy is the strong dolor abdominal that it produces. Namely, symptoms are very obvious and should not be overlooked. In any normal pregnancy there are typical and frequent discomforts in most cases. But abdominal pain is not a common pregnancy symptom. Therefore, if you notice strong discomfort, go quickly to your doctor to assess the situation as soon as possible. Your fertility and your health are at stake.