When you’re pregnant, the fertilized egg normally attaches to the wall of the uterus where it will grow. If the egg attaches elsewhere, you have an ectopic pregnancy. Most often, the egg situates itself in the fallopian tube but can happen in the ovary, abdominal cavity, or lower part of the uterus. Ectopic pregnancy symptoms can be subtle at first.
It’s important to pay attention to the symptoms because the pregnancy can’t continue if it is ectopic — the fertilized egg won’t be able to survive and there is just too much risk of bleeding that can occur if the pregnancy goes on too long.
What does an ectopic pregnancy feel like?
How to get rid of an ectopic pregnancy
Sadly, an ectopic pregnancy can’t be allowed to continue. The egg can’t develop normally unless it is in the uterus and your life is at risk to continue with the pregnancy.
When the ectopic pregnancy is caught early enough, it is often treated with a drug called methotrexate. This drug stops cell growth and dissolves existing cells. Your doctor will inject this into a muscle. In rare cases, you may need a subsequent injection a week or two after the first.
In some cases, one of two procedures may be utilized: a salpingostomy and a salpingectomy. For both procedures, a small incision is made in your abdomen near your belly button or in it. Your doctor will go in with a small tube that has a camera and light so he can see. The difference between the two procedures is that a salpingostomy only removes the ectopic pregnancy and allows the tube to heal where the salpingectomy removes the ectopic pregnancy and the tube.
If you are experiencing heavy or internal bleeding, a laparotomy may be done. This is an emergency procedure that removes the pregnancy, the tube, and stops the bleeding. It is rare to be able to save the fallopian tube in these cases.
