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Ectopic pregnancy
Can an ectopic pregnancy be kept?
After diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy, it is not possible to continue the pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy refers to the implantation and development of a fertilized egg outside the uterine cavity. Other locations are not suitable for the growth and development of the fetus, as the space is limited. When the fertilized egg develops to a certain extent, it can cause rupture and bleeding. For patients, severe symptoms can lead to hemorrhagic shock, endangering the patient's life safety. Therefore, once an ectopic pregnancy is confirmed, timely conservative treatment should be administered, or surgical treatment can be performed.
How long does it take to detect an ectopic pregnancy and how is an ectopic pregnancy treated?
In normal circumstances, an ectopic pregnancy can usually be detected around 50 days after conception, which corresponds to around 50 days after a missed period, through detailed examinations. However, some women often use pregnancy tests to detect chorionic gonadotropin in their urine. Ectopic pregnancies, which do not show clinical symptoms until a miscarriage or rupture occurs, can easily be overlooked. If one wishes to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, further auxiliary examinations are necessary. For instance, measuring the level of chorionic gonadotropin - levels of this hormone in the case of an ectopic pregnancy are lower than in an intrauterine pregnancy, so it might not be detected in the urine. It would require a more sensitive method, such as a radioimmunoassay, to measure chorionic gonadotropin in the blood. Ultrasound diagnostics can also be extremely helpful for detecting ectopic pregnancies. Generally, whether through abdominal or vaginal ultrasound, if no pregnancy sac is observed in the uterine cavity, it should raise suspicion and prompt further investigation. However, sometimes a pseudo gestational sac may be found in the uterus, leading to the misdiagnosis of an intrauterine pregnancy. Therefore, an ectopic pregnancy requires thorough and meticulous examination, which demands high attention from the patient and professionalism and responsibility from the doctor. If you have further questions, please consult a doctor at a hospital.
How to check for an ectopic pregnancy?
The examination for an ectopic pregnancy is divided into two steps, the first step is to confirm whether one is pregnant. Then, pregnancy can be detected either by a pregnancy test strip or the most accurate method, which is through a blood test. Once pregnancy is confirmed, the second step involves an ultrasound examination. A blood test only indicates whether or not one is pregnant, but an ultrasound can specifically determine whether it is an intrauterine pregnancy or an ectopic pregnancy. If it is an intrauterine pregnancy, the pregnancy can simply continue. If it is an ectopic pregnancy, surgical or medical treatment is necessary. On an ultrasound, an ectopic pregnancy is indicated by the absence of a gestational sac within the uterine cavity, but a gestational sac or mass is found outside the uterus, which confirms the diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy.
How many days will an ectopic pregnancy bleed?
The timing of bleeding caused by an ectopic pregnancy does not have a specific timeframe. Most ectopic pregnancies result in irregular vaginal bleeding after the death of the pregnancy tissue. The color of the blood is usually dark red or deep brown, and generally, the amount of bleeding is less than that of a normal menstrual period. However, a minority have heavier bleeding, similar to menstrual flow. Vaginal bleeding may contain decidual cast and fragments, caused by the shedding of the uterine lining. Vaginal bleeding only stops after the removal of the lesion or during conservative treatment when the trophoblastic cells are completely necrotic and absorbed; thus, bleeding from an ectopic pregnancy generally lasts a long time. Anti-inflammatory treatment might be necessary to avoid secondary infections that could affect future pregnancies.
What is an ectopic pregnancy?
Ectopic pregnancy used to be commonly referred to as "宫外孕". In fact, it is known as ectopic pregnancy, which means that the fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity. A normal pregnancy occurs in the uterine cavity, but if it occurs outside the uterine cavity, it is called ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy includes tubal pregnancy, ovarian pregnancy, abdominal pregnancy, broad ligament pregnancy, cervical pregnancy, cornual pregnancy, etc. These are all types of ectopic pregnancies, with tubal pregnancy being the most common clinically.
Ectopic pregnancy causes
Ectopic pregnancy is commonly referred to as such, but it is actually called extrauterine pregnancy. Extrauterine pregnancy refers to the implantation of a fertilized egg outside the uterine cavity, including cervical pregnancy, broad ligament pregnancy, ovarian pregnancy, abdominal pregnancy, and tubal pregnancy, with tubal pregnancy being the most common clinically. The causes of ectopic pregnancy include the recent increase in cesarean section rates, leading to more scar pregnancies, which are also a type of extrauterine pregnancy. Furthermore, abnormalities like uterine malformations also belong to extrauterine pregnancies. Clinically, the most common type is tubal pregnancy, mainly caused by inflammation of the fallopian tubes. Other factors include previous tubal surgeries or history of tubal pregnancy, congenital malformations, and abnormal function of the fallopian tubes. Additionally, the use of assisted reproductive technologies has also increased the chances of extrauterine pregnancies.
Can an ectopic pregnancy result in a live birth?
In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, it is necessary to terminate the pregnancy promptly. The pregnancy cannot continue, nor can it reach full term. Ectopic pregnancy refers to the implantation of a fertilized egg in a location outside the uterine cavity, known as an ectopic pregnancy. Normally, after the sperm and egg combine, implantation should occur in the uterine cavity for a normal pregnancy, since the uterus is the site where the fetus is nurtured. The uterus can expand gradually as the pregnancy sac grows, until the baby is delivered month by month. However, in an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo does not implant in the uterus, it does not expand with the growth of the pregnancy sac. Therefore, as it progresses, it can lead to rupture of the implantation site, causing bleeding, fainting, shock, and potentially leading to severe consequences.
Can an ectopic pregnancy be carried to term?
Currently, an ectopic pregnancy has been confirmed. An ectopic pregnancy refers to the implantation or pregnancy occurring outside the uterine cavity, typically indicating poor embryonic development. Most commonly, the pregnancy implants in the fallopian tubes, known as a tubal pregnancy. Generally, around eight weeks after cessation of menstruation, the pregnancy sac can cause the fallopian tube wall to burst, leading to significant bleeding due to rupture. Therefore, in ectopic pregnancies, there is no normal embryonic tissue in the uterine cavity, and there is no possibility of childbirth. Once an ectopic pregnancy is confirmed, it is necessary to administer timely medical or surgical treatment to avoid severe bleeding and life-threatening situations. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a professional doctor.)
Can an ectopic pregnancy be treated with medication abortion?
Ectopic pregnancy refers to the condition where the embryo implants outside the uterine cavity, most commonly in the fallopian tubes. A normal pregnancy test may still show a positive result in cases of an ectopic pregnancy. However, around 40 days after missed menstruation, no normal gestational sac can be seen inside the uterine cavity. Diagnosis generally requires a combination of blood HCG level monitoring and ultrasonographic examination. Once an ectopic pregnancy is confirmed, medical abortion is not viable, as it cannot expel the embryo from the body. Other surgical interventions are necessary for treatment.
ectopic pregnancy early symptoms
First, there will be a cessation of menstruation, followed by a brief period of amenorrhea, and then irregular vaginal bleeding will occur. This vaginal bleeding is usually light and droplet-like, and the color is dark red. Additionally, most women will experience pain on one side of the lower abdomen, which manifests as a distension pain. At this time, because the ectopic pregnancy in the fallopian tube has not ruptured, the enlarging embryo causes the fallopian tube to expand, leading to spasms of the tube, and thus these symptoms occur. If the condition continues to progress, the fallopian tube may rupture, resulting in acute and severe pain on one side of the lower abdomen.