Can an Ectopic Pregnancy Be Saved?

Learning you have an ectopic pregnancy is often heartbreaking and confusing. Many people wonder if the embryo or fetus can be saved and brought to term. However, unfortunately, this type of pregnancy is not viable because it has implanted outside of the uterus, giving it nowhere to safely grow and endangering the life of the pregnant person. Learn more about why ectopic pregnancies can't be saved.

What Is an Ectopic Pregnancy?

Anectopic pregnancy(also known as a tubal pregnancy) is one in which the fertilized egg implants somewhere other than in the uterus, most often in the fallopian tubes but sometimes elsewhere in the abdominal cavity. These pregnancies are not viable and pose grave danger to the health and future fertility of the pregnant person until they are diagnosed and treated.

如果怀孕孔蒂华体会体育官方人口nues, the developing fetus will cause the tube to stretch and sometimes rupture, leading to potentially life-threatening internal bleeding.This is why ectopic pregnancies can not be saved. Learn more about ectopic pregnancies and what it means to be not viable.

Risk Factors for Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancies affect about 1% to 2% of all pregnancies.Often there is no known cause. However, infections or injury to the fallopian tube make having an ectopic pregnancy more likely.

Risk factors include previous ectopic pregnancy, having endometriosis, or having盆腔炎性疾病(PID), a condition that often develops after an infection such as chlamydia. Smoking, history of fallopian tube, abdominal, or pelvic surgery, a history of infertility, and assisted reproduction are also known to increase the chance of a tubal pregnancy.

Signs and Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy

多达30%的异位妊娠没有医疗igns or symptoms in the early stages of development when the embryo is still very small. When present, signs and symptoms typically appear before the tenth week and may include:

• Cramping on one side of the pelvis
• Shoulder pain
• Sudden onset of abdominal or pelvic pain
• Tender cervix
• Vaginal bleeding

Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy

Sometimes, an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed when the pregnant person seeks care due to signs of a problem, such as pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding. Other times, it is discovered via ultrasound exams that show the embryo developing outside of the uterus.

In cases of heavy bleeding, the pregnancy may initially be diagnosed as a miscarriage. It is typically at this stage that anultrasoundwill reveal the issue to be an ectopic pregnancy.Elevated hCG levelsin the blood can further support the diagnosis (since miscarriage usually results in a drop in hCG). Once an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed, termination is needed to protect the life of the pregnant person.

Why Ectopic Pregnancies Not Viable

The vast majority of ectopic pregnancies implant in the fallopian tubes.This is why they are also called tubal pregnancies. If left unchecked, fetal growth will involve larger amounts of tissue and vascular structures. Eventually, the fetus will become too large for the fallopian tube. It is at this point that the pregnancy can become dangerous with any rupture likely to cause amassive bleed—and the fetus without a space to grow.

Since fetal death is certain and the risk to the pregnant person is extremely high, a termination will be recommended, either through surgery orabortive medications.

When the implantation is in the abdominal cavity, it still presents grave risks of hemorrhage and fetal malformation.Even in the extremely rare cases of live birth by surgery, the pregnant person is at significant risk as the placenta does not naturally detach and discharge as afterbirth as in a uterine pregnancy, causing a high risk of hemerrhage.

Successful Ectopic Pregnancies

While there have been cases where an ectopic pregnancy has been brought to term, the conditions by which these occurred were extremely unusual.

Most successful deliveries have involved the implantation of the egg somewhere in the abdomen rather than the fallopian tubes. Referred to as an abdominal pregnancy, these anomalies are usually situated near the liver or other organs where there the blood supply is rich.

Even then, the chances of survival are slim. Delivery can also be tricky depending on where major blood vessels or organs are located.

大多数病例发生在世界各地的假名re prenatal care is lacking. It is this absence of care that accounts for the high rate of deaths in women with abdominal pregnancies. Some studies, in fact, suggest that the death rate may be as much as seven times greater than that of tubal pregnancies.