Ectopic pregnancy symptoms, causes and consequences

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Only 1-2% of pregnancies are ectopic, that is, ectopic. The probability is extremely small, but every woman can face such a pathology, since the causes of its occurrence are not completely clear to the medical community. What are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy? How to identify pathology at an early stage? After all, not only he alth depends on this, but also the life of the woman herself, the ability to endure and give birth to a child in the future. How long does it take to notice the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy? This will be discussed in the article.

What is an ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic, or ectopic, pathological pregnancy is one in which a fertilized egg is fixed and continues to develop not in the uterus, as in a physiological pregnancy, but, as a rule, in the fallopian tube. Sometimes the zygote is pushed out of the tube in the opposite direction from the uterus and is fixed in the abdominal cavity or on the ovary. In this case, the embryo ceases to have enough space over time andnutrients to continue to develop normally.

Spontaneous abortion may occur, with or without fallopian tube rupture. Pathology is fraught with very serious complications, it can reach a fatal outcome, that is, the death of a woman, or infertility in the future. But fortunately, approximately 60% of such cases end favorably, because the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy force a woman to consult a gynecologist much earlier than complications have time to develop.

Mechanism of occurrence of pathology

Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy occur when the fertilized egg is not properly located. Normally, the next female germ cell regularly (every 28 days on average, which is the duration of the menstrual cycle) matures in one of the follicles. In the ovulatory phase of the cycle, the egg goes into the tube. The process of fertilization of the germ cell by sperm takes place in the same place.

If the egg has been fertilized by a sperm, it becomes a zygote and travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus. The movement is carried out due to contractions of the muscles of the tube and villi of the mucous membranes. The process of moving to the uterus lasts three to four days, after which, if the fetal egg has successfully completed this path, it attaches to the wall of the uterus, releasing special enzymes that dissolve the mucous membrane at the site of attachment.

In some cases, the egg cannot move to the uterus, encountering any mechanical or hormonal obstacles on its waynature. Attachment may then occur in the ovary, abdomen, viscera, or tube, rather than in the uterus itself. Most abnormal pregnancies (about 98% of the total) are tubal pregnancies.

Causes of ectopic pregnancy

The main cause of ectopic pregnancy, the symptoms and signs of which a woman can often overlook in the very early stages, is the incorrect localization of the egg. The normal progression of the egg into the uterus can be prevented by mechanical obstacles or hormonal reasons. Other causes of symptoms and signs of an ectopic pregnancy include:

1. Inflammatory gynecological diseases, previously transferred. Even minor inflammatory processes in the internal genital organs rarely pass without a trace. Adhesions can form in the tubes, which, after fertilization, can prevent the egg from moving normally into the uterine cavity.
2. Inflammatory processes in the fallopian tubes in both chronic and acute course. The disease causes the villi to die and the nerve endings that contribute to the advancement of the fetal egg are lost. There is a high probability of pathology in violation of the transport function of the pipes. The egg does not have its own organs of movement, so an ectopic pregnancy develops in the fallopian tube.
3. Anomalous structure of the internal organs of the female reproductive system. Additionalholes in the lumen of the fallopian tubes or additional tubes are pathologies that occur even in utero. Often the reason for this is the wrong behavior of the girl's mother during pregnancy, the use of illegal drugs, ionizing radiation, sexual infections.
4. Any surgical operations (with complications on the reproductive system and reproductive function of a woman), and especially gynecological, including previous abortions, ectopic pregnancies. Surgical intervention can cause the formation of adhesions, inflammation.
5. Hormonal disorders. Hormonal dysfunction leads to disruption of the cycle or immobilization of the muscles of the tubal apparatus. The same consequences have the use of hormonal drugs, hormones of synthetic origin. In this case, the implantation of the embryo may occur ahead of schedule, that is, even when it did not have time to reach the uterine cavity.
6. Missing one pipe. If the egg comes out on the side where the tube was removed, then it has to go a longer way to get into a he althy tube. Thus, an ectopic pregnancy can be considered a consequence of a previous ectopic pregnancy.

Danger of ectopic pregnancy

If there are symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, it is very, very dangerous. Stopping the egg in the fallopian tube and its attachment there leads to an increase in the diameter of the tube. The thin shell of the pipes is not designed for such a load, so after a couple of weeks (with the growth and development of the embryo) stretchingbecomes too significant. Then the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy will appear. Reviews of women who had to endure such a pathology confirm that the signs of incorrect localization of the fetal egg are strongly felt, so you can have time to see a doctor as soon as possible, preventing serious complications.

As a result of critical stretching of the pipe, it can burst. At the same time, mucus, blood and the fetal egg itself enter the abdominal cavity, infection occurs, an acute abdomen syndrome and peritonitis develop. This is accompanied by very strong pain. In addition, damage to blood vessels will lead to bleeding. If spontaneous abortion occurred during its normal development, that is, when the embryo was in the uterus, then the vessels would cope with this, bleeding would not develop. In the fallopian tube, the vessels are not designed for such a load.

So there is a critical condition that requires urgent medical intervention. Treatment of pathological pregnancy is carried out in intensive care, in addition, doctors monitor the patient for some time after the operation. After such a pregnancy, a woman needs to restore the reproductive and menstrual functions of the body, and often psychological help.

A critical condition in an ectopic pregnancy is fatal. In addition, if pathology is detected at a relatively late date (about 8 weeks), treatment can be carried out with the removal of one or both fallopian tubes. If removedone pipe, a woman will be able to become pregnant and bear a child later, if both, then conception will be possible only with the help of IVF. The most favorable outcome of the pathology is the fading of the development of the embryo and spontaneous abortion, in which bleeding does not develop.

Signs of early pathology

What are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy? Unfortunately, in the early stages, a pathological pregnancy cannot be distinguished from one that develops physiologically correctly. A woman has a delay in menstruation, instead of critical days or a week before them, spotting with blood from the vagina can be observed, the mammary glands swell. This refers to probable signs, that is, medically objective, determined by examination.

hours, insomnia at night, change in food habits or appetite. Until some time, the pathology has been successfully "disguised" as a he althy pregnancy.

A home use test strip will show a positive result (as in a normal pregnancy). However, many women noted among the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy at 6 weeks and later that the strips became less noticeable. Initiallythe result was clear, but over time the stripes became dimmer, as if disappearing. Doctors explain this by the fact that in pathology, the level of hCG in the urine and blood does not grow as fast as normal (twice a day).

Waking bells: WB symptoms

What symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages should alert a woman? In pathology (as in normal pregnancy), menstruation stops. However, if the ovum is not fixed properly, there may be spotting or even slight bleeding on the days of the expected period.

This sometimes happens in the normal course of pregnancy. In any case, it is better not to rely on luck, but to immediately visit a doctor. He will not only refute the presence of a pathology (if this is actually the case), but he may also prescribe some drugs as part of the preservation therapy. If an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed early (signs and symptoms can be recognized with the help of a doctor), this will allow timely treatment.

Warning signs include general malaise and weakness. With pathology, there is a much greater burden on the woman's body than with normal localization of the embryo, so drowsiness, lack of strength, and poor he alth are characteristic. Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages (reviews of women confirm this), as a rule, are felt much more strongly than the same, but in a normal course. That is, it is normal for a woman to experience weakness, fatigue and drowsiness in the early stages, but with pathologyit feels much stronger.

Characteristic in the pathology of fainting and dizziness. Sometimes the temperature may rise, blood pressure drop sharply, hemoglobin levels may decrease until anemia develops. Symptoms of an early ectopic pregnancy include palpable soreness. There may be pain in the lower abdomen, on the side where the embryo is fixed, in the lower back. Discomfort may radiate to the right collarbone and back. Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy already at week 5 include toxicosis. This phenomenon, which often accompanies a normal pregnancy, is distinct in pathology, and only intensifies over time.

In some cases, the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages do not appear at all. A woman may not feel any pain, no toxicosis, no frequent mood changes, or even a change in eating habits. Often the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy remain subtle, so that a woman is in no hurry to see a doctor, not attaching importance to them.

In addition, you need to know that in a third of cases, pathology is accompanied by excellent he alth. That is why it is advisable to contact a gynecologist not only if some alarming bells appear, but also a few days after the appearance of two strips on the test. This will confirm the normal development of pregnancy or establish a diagnosis and start treatment in a timely manner.

Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy

Early ectopic pregnancy symptoms require medicalconfirmation. Be sure to go to the hospital so that the doctor confirms or refutes the presence of pathology and, if necessary, prescribes treatment. If such a pregnancy is suspected, it is necessary to carry out diagnostic procedures:

• in dynamics to determine the level of the hormone (hCG) in the patient's blood;
• do an ultrasound;
• make a laboratory blood test;
• get a gynecological exam;
• sometimes a puncture of the abdominal cavity, laparoscopy, diagnostic curettage of the uterine lining is necessary.

Confirmation of diagnosis

Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages is a reason to contact a gynecologist as soon as possible. To confirm the diagnosis, a gynecological examination will be performed. The pathology is characterized by excessive uterine mobility, cyanosis of the vaginal mucosa, bloating, and severe pain when the cervix is displaced. In laboratory blood tests, there may be an increased level of ESR, a clinical picture of anemia, and low hemoglobin. Ultrasound can detect a fetal egg near the body of the uterus, but such a study cannot be an independent diagnostic method, additional ones must be used.

Recommended if a pathology is suspected and symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy appear, the timing should be compared with the level of hCG. The information content of this research method is 96.7%. With pathology, the level of the hormone rises more slowly than during a normal pregnancy. However, this does not always allowdistinguish an ectopic pregnancy from a complicated physiological one.

In some cases, laparoscopy is performed. The research method allows the doctor to visually assess the condition of a woman, internal organs, including pipes. Until now, such a diagnostic method as a puncture of the abdominal cavity has also been used in medical practice, although now laparoscopy is still used more often. Puncture results can be either false positive or false negative.

Treatment of abnormal pregnancy

Treatment of pathology involves, as a rule, an operation during which the fetal egg is removed. Then it is necessary to restore hemodynamic parameters, there is a need for rehabilitation of reproductive function and psychological assistance. Both spontaneously interrupted and ongoing ectopic pregnancies require urgent surgical intervention. The indication for surgery is also hemorrhagic shock. Most often, doctors remove the tube, but in some cases, an organ-preserving intervention is possible. Doctors can remove the egg through a small incision. However, the size of the embryo should not exceed 5 mm in diameter, and the he alth of the woman herself should not be threatened by a critical condition.

Prevention of pathology

The main method of preventing pathological pregnancy is the systematic preparation for the conception of a child. Both in a couple who decide to conceive a baby must undergo a medical examination,give up bad habits and, if possible, begin to lead a he althy lifestyle. It is imperative to timely and fully treat all infectious processes associated with the genital organs, gynecological diseases, prevent excessive overheating or hypothermia, take care of proper contraception.

Abortion is one of the main causes of ectopic pregnancy, so it is necessary not to neglect contraception, select funds together with the doctor, and in case of unwanted conception, perform surgery as soon as possible (medical abortion is possible within the first eight weeks). Manipulation must be carried out within the walls of a medical institution and by a qualified doctor. Only in this case will it be possible to minimize the adverse effects of abortion on women's reproductive he alth and avoid most of the complications.