Ectopic Pregnancy Symptoms

If you are pregnant, knowing ectopic pregnancy symptoms can be lifesaving. It’s crucial to report any signs of ectopic pregnancy to your doctor ASAP.

When a woman becomes pregnant, a fertilized egg adheres to the wall of her uterus, where it grows over nine months from an embryo into a full-term baby.

In about one to two percent of pregnancies, a fertilized egg is implanted and grows outside of the uterus. This is called an ectopic pregnancy. 

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What is ectopic pregnancy?

Rarely, an ectopic pregnancy occurs in the abdominal cavity, an ovary, or the cervix (the neck of the uterus). Usually, an ectopic pregnancy usually in a fallopian tube — and the small size of a fallopian tube makes it impossible for the embryo to develop into a baby.

It also means the pregnant woman is at serious risk. That’s because, as the embryo grows, the fallopian tube can burst, causing potentially life-threatening internal bleeding.

If you are pregnant, it’s important to recognize ectopic pregnancy symptoms and report them to your doctor immediately, so you can be tested for the condition. If you do have an ectopic pregnancy, you will need immediate treatment.

Are you at risk for ectopic pregnancy?

Women who are 35 or older when they become pregnant are at increased risk for ectopic pregnancy. Smoking cigarettes and infertility treatments also increase your odds of ectopic pregnancy. In addition, having abnormal fallopian tubes is an important ectopic pregnancy risk factor, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

You are more likely to have abnormal fallopian tubes if you’ve had:

• A previous ectopic pregnancy
• Surgery on your fallopian tubes (such as tubal sterilization)
• Infertility
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection of the fallopian tubes, uterus, and adjacent pelvic structures)
• Pelvic or abdominal surgery
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Endometriosis

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