Menstrual cramps, bleeding, or hurt that one would normally associate with the earliest stages of pregnancy, these are all usually very normal symptoms. However, they are also potentially symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, which is dangerous. A pregnancy is ectopic when the egg fails to land in the uterus and instead takes a place within the cervix, or in the fallopian tubes, even potentially in the abdomen, or ovaries. Most of this misguided implanting occurs in the fallopian tubes, but none of these areas are prepared the way the uterus is to nourish an embryo. If not dealt with, the egg will attempt to grow in this inappropriate and unprepared environment, which lacks the ability to stretch and accommodate the fetus’s growth, which is part and parcel to the uterus’s reason for existence, and a rupture will result. The tearing and bleeding are apt to prove fatal. Fortunately, less than 5% of pregnancies are ectopic. About half stem from unknown causes. Certain factors put women at a higher risk for having an ectopic pregnancy, including; a prior ectopic pregnancy, smoking, low progesterone, endometriosis, surgeries and pregnancy after the age of 35. None of these are written in stone. However, if any of these factors exist it is certainly important, more so than it already is, to pay attention to signs like, dizziness, hypotension, lower back hurt, abdominal hurt, pelvic hurt, vaginal bleeding and cramps, particularly coming from one side.
Key Takeaways:
- When a fertilized egg implants itself in a region other than the uterus, this constitutes an ectopic preganncy.
- 95 percent of ectopic pregnancies occur when the fertilized egg lands in the fallopian tubes.
- There are a variety of risk factors that can make a woman more prone to getting an ectopic pregnancy, including scarring from prior surgeries.
“If not caught in time or left untreated, ectopic pregnancy can rupture, leading to internal bleeding and other potentially life-threatening issues.”
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