Tubal pregnancy, also known as an ectopic pregnancy, is a very scary and potentially deadly situation. While normally found in the first trimester, the sooner it can be detected and taken care of, the less likely the mother is to require surgery and suffer from the loss of her Fallopian tube. The problem is, sometimes an ectopic pregnancy is difficult to find, particularly very early in pregnancy. This can be complicated because of slower than normal rises in hCG levels and the ability to visualize what's where in regards to the pregnancy. (Most ectopic pregnancies are in the tube, but there are other locations that they can be as well.)
If you have symptoms of pain and vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy, you may be having a miscarriage, an ectopic or just a complicated pregnancy. Many times a simple history and physical may miss an ectopic pregnancy. But if they do a transvaginal ultrasound, which shows much more detail, and a serum (blood) hCG test, it can help to rule out an ectopic pregnancy or confirm it. Though there are still times that you will have inconclusive findings. This means that you will need to follow up with your practitioner around the 48 hour mark. This will allow another round of testing that should show more detail or give a better indication of what's going on with the hCG.
Early treatment options include medications like methotrexate which help many moms to avoid surgery and thus save the Fallopian tube. Or it can prevent the rupture of the tube with a timely removal, which can lower the risks of infection and major complications.
Have you had a tubal pregnancy scare?
Source:
Crochet, J, et al "Does this woman have an ectopic pregnancy?" JAMA 2013; 309:1722-1729.
Photo © A.D.A.M.
Vaginal Ultrasound Best for Finding Tubal Pregnancies originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, July 25th, 2013 at 11:08:27.
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