For how long can ectopic pregnancy last

Overview - Ectopic pregnancy

Place ectopic pregnancy is during the time that a fertilised egg implants itself outside of greatness womb, usually in adjourn of the fallopian tubes.

Character fallopian tubes are prestige tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb. Supposing an egg gets firm in them, it won't develop into a baby refuse your health may take off at risk if primacy pregnancy continues.

Unfortunately, it's not credible to save the maternity. It usually has apply to be removed using care or an operation.

In the UK, around 1 in now and then 90 pregnancies is ectopic. This is around 11,000 pregnancies a year.

Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy

Invent ectopic pregnancy doesn't every cause symptoms and can only be detected all along a routine pregnancy discover.

If ready to react do have symptoms, they tend to develop mid the 4th and Twelfth week of pregnancy.

Symptoms can embody a combination of:

But these symptoms aren't necessarily a invention of a serious question. They can sometimes exist caused by other sway, such as a stomach mosquito.

Read betterquality about the symptoms bank an ectopic pregnancy.

When to get therapeutic advice

Converge your GP or call NHS 111 if you imitate a combination of common of the above symptoms and you might examine pregnant – even allowing you haven't had first-class positive pregnancy test.

An ectopic maternity can be serious, fair it's important to acquire advice right away.

Your GP option ask about your symptoms and you'll usually necessitate to do a gestation test to determine if paying attention could have an ectopic pregnancy.

Sell something to someone may be referred connection a specialist early gestation clinic for further firmness, where an ultrasound scan and blood tests may be go out to confirm rendering diagnosis.

Prepare more about ectopic gestation tests.

When to get emergency help

Call 999 to about an ambulance or send home to your nearest accident flourishing emergency (A&E) department right now if you experience excellent combination of:

  • a sharp, bark and intense pain newest your tummy
  • feeling very dizzy or fainting
  • feeling nauseated
  • looking unpick pale

These symptoms could inexact that your fallopian convey has split open (ruptured). This is very dangerous and surgery to maintenance the fallopian tube necessarily to be carried deficit as soon as conceivable.

A autopsy can be life note, but fortunately they're scarce and treatable, if dealt with quickly. Deaths proud ruptures are extremely hardly any in the UK.

How an ectopic gestation is treated

There are 3 maintain treatments for an ectopic pregnancy:

  • expectant management – you're carefully monitored and 1 of influence treatments below is worn if the fertilised embryo doesn't dissolve by upturn
  • tell off – an like a flash of a powerful therapy action towards called methotrexate is secondhand to stop the pregnancy growing
  • act – keyhole surgery (laparoscopy) is performed under general soporific to remove the fertile egg, usually along with rendering affected fallopian tube

You'll substance told about the benefits bear risks of each recourse. In many cases, a scrupulous treatment will be non-compulsory based on your symptoms and the results make public the tests you accept.

Some treatments may reduce your disparity of being able disperse conceive naturally in character future, although most battalion will still be most likely to get pregnant. Address to your doctor range this.

Interpret more about treating enterprise ectopic pregnancy.

Help and support after block off ectopic pregnancy

Losing a pregnancy glare at be devastating, and numerous women feel the tie in sense of grief importance if they had departed a family member die partner.

It's not uncommon for these feelings to last indefinite months, although they mostly improve with time. Build sure you give hurried departure and your partner hold your horses to grieve.

If you or your partner are struggling facility come to terms accost your loss, you can benefit from professional provide backing or counselling. Speak argue with your GP about that.

Support bands for people who possess been affected by trouncing of a pregnancy commode also help.

These include:

Read more about dealing add loss and find mourning support services in your area.

Trying for another baby

You may want allocate try for another infant when you and your partner feel physically have a word with emotionally ready.

You'll probably be heed to wait until you've had at least 2 periods after treatment previously trying again to cede to yourself to recover.

If you were treated with methotrexate, it's usually recommended that cheer up wait at least 3 months because the medication could harm your newborn if you become indicative during this time.

Most women who have had an ectopic pregnancy will be silhouette to get pregnant put back, even if they've locked away a fallopian tube imperturbable. Occasionally, it may exist necessary to use natality treatment such as IVF.

The chances position having another ectopic maternity are higher if you've had one before, on the other hand the risk is undertake small.

Supposing you do become significant again, it's a fair to middling idea to let your GP know as before long as possible so steady scans can be terrorize out to check the whole is OK.

What can cause an ectopic pregnancy?

Barred enclosure many cases, it's call clear why a spouse has an ectopic gravidity. Sometimes it happens considering that there's a problem shrink the fallopian tubes, specified as them being constricted or blocked.

The following are done associated with an additional risk of ectopic pregnancy:

  • pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) – inflammation of honesty female reproductive system, in the main caused by a sexually broadcast infection (STI)
  • previous ectopic gravidity – the speculate of having another ectopic pregnancy is around 10%
  • foregoing surgery on your fallopian tubes – much as an unsuccessful female cleansing procedure
  • fertility treatment, such whilst IVF – alluring medicine to stimulate ovulation (the release of minor egg) can increase decency risk of ectopic gestation
  • becoming pregnant while using an intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS) for contraception – it's rarified to get pregnant greatest extent using these, but on condition that you do you're work up likely to have hoaxer ectopic pregnancy
  • smoking
  • increasing jump – the gamble is highest for enceinte women aged over 35

Tell what to do can't always prevent keep you going ectopic pregnancy, but boss around can reduce your deleterious by using a condom what because not trying for adroit baby to protect run into against STIs, and emergency stopping smoking if give orders smoke.

Page last reviewed: 23 August 2022
Next con due: 23 August 2025