Ectopic pregnancy is a condition in which a fertilized egg settles and grows in any location other than the inner lining of the uterus . About 1% of pregnancies are in an ectopic location with implantation not occurring inside of the womb, and of these 98% occur in the Fallopian tubes. In a typical ectopic pregnancy, the embryo does not reach the uterus, but instead adheres to the lining of the Fallopian tube. The implanted embryo burrows actively into the tubal lining. One of the first warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy is spotting or bleeding. Although bleeding in early pregnancy does not always mean there is something wrong with the pregnancy, if you have spotting or bleeding you should report this to your doctor. Some other causes of spotting during pregnancy are implantation bleeding, subchorionic hematoma, irritation of the cervix, or miscarriage. The whole problem with an tubal pregnancy is that this is not a natural occurrence. Hence the zygote cannot be nurtured in the protective womb, as in a normal pregnancy. The zygote, however, continues to grow, till it is left no more space to expand. Ultimately, it will end up rupturing the organ that it chose to implant itself in. This can lead to immense complications in the mother, resulting in severe pain and bleeding, probably even endangering her own life! In modern medicine the ability to diagnose and treat ectopic pregnancies has significantly improved, thereby reducing the maternal risks. Recently Laparoscopy has revolutionized the way of dealing with the ectopic pregnancy says Prof. R.K. Mishra the recipient of Global Laparoscopic Trainer award of 2008 and Director of Laparoscopy Hospital, New Delhi. The early signs of an ectopic pregnancy will be the same as that of a normal one, however, there could be also be other symptoms once the pregnancy develops a little more. Some of these symptoms are pain on one side of the abdomen, throbbing that lasts for a long time in the abdomen, fainting fits, pain in the lower abdomen, and vaginal bleeding. A very pointed sign is pain in the shoulder when lying down. If you have symptoms of bleeding and stomach pain, be sure to see your doctor immediately. They can determine if you have tubal pregnancy from a simple blood test or an ultrasound. The key is early detection. If it can be treated early on, then the risks to your health and future pregnancies are greatly reduced. By keeping yourself aware of the signs of ectopic pregnancy you can eliminate potential health risks. If you are having any ectopic pregnancy symptom, it should be treated as an emergency as this type of pregnancy may rupture anytime and damage the fallopian tube permanently. Such pregnancies if diagnosed at early stages can be treated accordingly and the pregnancy can be terminated safely without damaging the tube. However, if it ruptures, surgery is the only option to save the patient's life.
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