Can an ectopic pregnancy be treated with medication abortion?

Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
Updated on April 07, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tang Mei Xiang
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 8sec home-news-image

What are the early signs of ectopic pregnancy?

Ectopic pregnancy is a common term for what is known as a displaced pregnancy; that is, a condition where the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterine cavity. Therefore, ectopic pregnancy and intrauterine pregnancy are different. In the early stages of an ectopic pregnancy, if there is no splitting of the pregnancy sac or bleeding, there generally are no symptoms. However, the condition can be understood and assessed through some auxiliary examinations. For example, after the cessation of menstruation, an ectopic pregnancy might be accompanied by a small amount of vaginal bleeding, and blood tests for HCG might show that the HCG levels do not double as expected. Or, at a certain gestational week, such as six or seven weeks, an ultrasound might not reveal a pregnancy sac. These are all precursors to an ectopic pregnancy, and if these signs appear, the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy is very high.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jia Rui
Obstetrics and Gynecology
50sec home-news-image

Ectopic pregnancy characteristics

Lower unilateral abdominal pain, irregular vaginal bleeding, and even after 50 days of pregnancy, the ultrasound still does not show the gestational sac implanted in the uterine cavity. An ultrasound can be used to understand the size and location of the gestational sac. The symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy are often atypical. Some patients may experience shock due to heavy bleeding, with pale complexion and a drop in blood pressure. It is important to hospitalize timely for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy to prevent life-threatening severe bleeding. In cases of ectopic pregnancy, blood hCG levels may not increase.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tang Mei Xiang
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 16sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Su Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min home-news-image

Early symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy, also known as extrauterine pregnancy, refers to the implantation of the gestational sac outside the uterine cavity. For example, in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or the cornual region, etc., leading to a series of symptoms known as ectopic pregnancy. Typically, symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include a history of amenorrhea, where most individuals have a long or short history of missed periods. The second symptom is bleeding, which can be irregular, minor vaginal bleeding or significant bleeding, as well as bleeding within the abdominal cavity, which can lead to hemorrhagic shock in severe cases. Additionally, abdominal pain may occur, manifesting as sudden, tearing-like lower abdominal pain, or irregular referred pain.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Qin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
51sec home-news-image

Is the probability of ectopic pregnancy high?

Ectopic pregnancy, as the name implies, refers to the implantation of the fertilized egg outside the uterine cavity, not within the uterus. Ectopic pregnancies most commonly occur in the fallopian tubes, accounting for about 95% of cases. Ectopic pregnancy is one of the common emergencies in gynecology and obstetrics, but its incidence is actually not high, approximately 2%-3%. However, because ectopic pregnancy is a leading cause of death in early pregnancies, it is quite alarming. In recent years, however, with the advancement of ultrasound technology, ectopic pregnancies are being diagnosed and treated earlier, significantly enhancing the survival rates and the ability to preserve fertility.