ectopic pregnancy early symptoms

Written by Yue Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on March 28, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Li Jie
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 11sec home-news-image

How to Self-Diagnose an Ectopic Pregnancy

Generally, ectopic pregnancy can be ruled out through one's own symptoms and signs. Firstly, through one's own clinical symptoms, if pregnancy has been confirmed by a urinary pregnancy test and the patient does not experience abdominal pain, abnormal vaginal bleeding, or other such conditions, but does experience significant early pregnancy reactions like nausea and vomiting, the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy is small. It can generally be judged to be an intrauterine pregnancy. However, self-diagnosis is not very accurate, and ultimately, it depends on an ultrasound to see the intrauterine gestational sac to confirm whether it is an intrauterine pregnancy. Therefore, the most scientific method is to go to the hospital for an ultrasound and have a blood test for HCG. This method is more scientifically accurate. If an ectopic pregnancy is confirmed, surgical treatment must be pursued immediately as it can be life-threatening.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
54sec home-news-image

How many days can an ectopic pregnancy be detected?

Generally around six weeks after a missed period, an ectopic pregnancy can be detected through an ultrasound examination. For women with regular menstrual cycles, if menstruation is delayed by a week and a pregnancy test shows a positive result, it indicates pregnancy. At this time, it is necessary to visit the hospital for an ultrasound to ascertain the implantation site of the gestational sac. In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, it is normal that no gestational sac is visible within the uterine cavity during an ultrasound. The ultrasound might reveal irregular echo areas in the adnexal area, which includes the fallopian tubes or ovaries, possibly indicating thickened fallopian tubes or enlarged ovaries. At this point, one should be vigilant about the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy and seek timely treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
1min 21sec home-news-image

ectopic pregnancy symptoms

Ectopic pregnancy is not a normal state of pregnancy. Normally, the gestational sac should be located in the middle of the uterine cavity. An ectopic pregnancy refers to the implantation of the gestational sac outside the uterine cavity. Common types of ectopic pregnancy include tubal pregnancy, ovarian pregnancy, and abdominal pregnancy, with over 99% of ectopic pregnancies being tubal pregnancies. The symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include the following aspects: 1. In the early stages of an ectopic pregnancy, there are no clinical symptoms because the early gestational sac is relatively small and does not stimulate the fallopian tube or the local area, thus causing no symptoms. 2. When the gestational sac grows to a certain size, it compresses the tube cavity, causing mild abdominal pain. This pain intensifies as the gestational sac grows and can lead to tearing pain, indicating a ruptured tubal pregnancy. 3. During an ectopic pregnancy, because the gestational sac cannot develop normally, the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body are relatively low, leading to endometrial withdrawal bleeding, which manifests as a small amount of bright red vaginal bleeding.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tang Mei Xiang
Obstetrics and Gynecology
41sec home-news-image

Can you have intercourse with an ectopic pregnancy?

Ectopic pregnancy and sexual intercourse often occur when the patient is unaware, specifically during the early stages when there is no bleeding, no abdominal pain, and only amenorrhea is present; intercourse might occur under these circumstances. However, if there is irregular vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, suspecting an ectopic pregnancy, it is advised not to have intercourse. This is because intercourse can cause excitement, which might lead some ectopic pregnancy masses to rupture, potentially causing severe bleeding.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tang Mei Xiang
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 11sec home-news-image

Can an ectopic pregnancy cause a fever?

Ectopic pregnancy generally does not cause fever symptoms unless there is an infection. The typical signs of an ectopic pregnancy include a history of missed menstruation, minor vaginal bleeding, and abdominal pain. When the ectopic pregnancy in the fallopian tube has not ruptured, the pain is characterized by swelling pain in the lower abdomen. If the fallopian tube pregnancy ruptures, there will be tearing pain, followed by tenderness in the lower abdomen, rebound pain, and abdominal muscle tension, and then fainting and shock can occur. During a gynecological examination, it is possible to feel a mass in the abdomen. Ectopic pregnancies generally require surgical treatment. After surgery, there might be a temporary fever known as "absorption fever," but this type of fever is short-lived and the body temperature does not exceed 38 degrees Celsius. This is a normal physiological reaction after surgery and is not considered a pathological fever.