Early symptoms of ectopic pregnancy

Written by Su Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on October 26, 2024
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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.

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Ectopic pregnancy signs

Normally, if menstruation does not occur at the expected time and there is irregular, light bleeding, the first step is to go to the hospital for an early pregnancy test. If the test shows two lines, this indicates pregnancy. Pregnancy includes intrauterine pregnancy and ectopic pregnancy. In cases of ectopic pregnancy, there is generally also irregular bleeding and abdominal pain. Therefore, if the early pregnancy test is positive with two lines and there is irregular bleeding and abdominal pain, one must be alert for the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy. At this time, you can go to the hospital for blood tests to check the HCG levels and progesterone, along with an ultrasound to comprehensively determine the situation. If there is no gestational sac within the uterine cavity and an abnormal mass is found outside the uterus, then hospitalization and appropriate treatment for the ectopic pregnancy are needed.

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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.

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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.

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How long does it take for an ectopic pregnancy to bleed?

Ectopic pregnancy test strips indicate that the gestational sac is implanted outside the uterine cavity, with the most common type being a tubal pregnancy. The bleeding caused by a tubal pregnancy includes two types: vaginal bleeding and intra-abdominal bleeding. Firstly, the vaginal bleeding caused by an ectopic pregnancy mainly occurs because the gestational sac lacks a normal developmental environment, with relatively low levels of estrogen and progesterone. This leads to insufficient endometrial proliferation, resulting in regressive bleeding. Typically, vaginal bleeding appears around the fifth week of an ectopic pregnancy, but the amount of bleeding is generally small. Secondly, if the gestational sac in an ectopic pregnancy is relatively large, it can cause the local rupture of the fallopian tube, leading to intra-abdominal bleeding. This usually occurs around the seventh to eighth week of pregnancy. If the gestational sac is too small, even if there is mild abdominal pain, it will not cause intra-abdominal bleeding.

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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.