What is an ectopic pregnancy?

What are the tests that help to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy?

There are various tests, and the first of these is a pregnancy test itself. Very sensitive urine pregnancy tests are now available, which can give an answer quickly - even before a period is missed.

This can be followed up by a blood test. Vaginal ultrasound scanning can demonstrate a normally positioned womb pregnancy and therefore exclude an ectopic pregnancy in a tube.

Sometimes, because of the early stage of development, a pregnancy test may be positive but the position of the pregnancy cannot be seen with ultrasound scanning.

In this case, a woman needs to be carefully monitored and this may mean staying in hospital. The changing blood levels of the pregnancy hormone are noted, and together with other features, can indicate a normal or an ectopic pregnancy growth.

Sometimes women have a laparoscopic examination (where a small telescope tube is placed into the abdomen). This will then give a definitive diagnosis.

What treatments are possible?

Once an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed, there are several different treatments possible -unfortunately, these do not include the transplantation of this pregnancy into the womb.

• A small number of ectopics do not cause the fallopian to rupture because the development stops and a miscarriage occurs.
• In a few other cases, an injection may be possible to shrink the ectopic pregnancy.
• Laparoscopic surgery, where either the tube is opened, or the tube itself removed, may also be a possibility.
• In most cases, open, lower abdominal surgery is performed in order to operate on the affected fallopian tube.

Whenever possible, surgeons attempt to conserve both of the tubes as this does seem to improve the chances of a normal pregnancy next time.

A young woman, with a normal second tube and no signs of previous infection or scarring - will have a lower chance of another ectopic. A woman who has had severe pelvic inflammation, with damage to the other tube, has a higher risk of another ectopic pregnancy.

It is very upsetting for a couple, who have been excited by the prospect of a new baby, to discover that their pregnancy is ectopic, and to realise that it will never be able to develop into a live birth.

Coping with this grief at a time when marked hormone changes are taking place makes it all the more difficult.

Tears and great emotional stress follow an ectopic pregnancy, along with quite unfounded feelings of guilt. Do ask for help or counselling or you can talk to other couples on our Coping with Miscarriage board.

You can also contact The Miscarriage Association who have support groups across the country, and have more information about ectopic pregnancies.

It is a horrible experience to go through but do remember, at least 50 per cent of woman will go on to have a successful pregnancy next time.

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