Ectopic pregnancy
In normal pregnancy, ovary releases egg in the fallopian tube and if the egg meets a sperm, the fertilized egg moves into the uterus, it implants and continues to grow over the next nine months. Ectopic pregnancy (or tubal pregnancy), the fertilized egg remains in the fallopian tube. In rare cases, the fertilized egg attaches to one of the ovaries or another organ in the abdominal cavity. In even more rare cases, the embryo attaches to the part of the fallopian tube that penetrates the muscular layer of the uterus, outside the uterine cavity.
Most often, an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed in the 8th week of pregnancy. A woman may not even know she was pregnant, especially since some women with an ectopic pregnancy continues menstrual period.
Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy can happen to any woman, the prerequisites for this have enough. And because it can endanger the woman's life, it is important to recognize the symptoms early and seek immediate medical help.
The main symptoms of ectopic pregnancy:
- vaginal bleeding (dark in color);
- nausea and vomiting;
- pain in the lower abdomen;
- spasms in the abdomen;
- pain in one side of the body;
- pain in the shoulder, neck or rectum;
- weakness or dizziness.
Sometimes in the early stages it is very difficult to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy even with ultrasound because the fertilized egg has a small size and may be outside of the fallopian tubes. In such cases, you can use a regular pregnancy test. Since the test reacts to the presence of HCG in urine (a ectopic pregnancy implanted ovum secretes HCG in the blood of women), the result is positive, it will have two strips.
During normal pregnancy growth hormone HCG increases 3 times every two days. Home test reacts to HCG in the urine from25 units, this indicator is usually already on the 11th day after fertilization. Ectopic pregnancy hormone HCG increases much slower, so, as a rule, the second stick will be fuzzy, poorly expressed.
In the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy homemade tests have to pass several tests in dynamics and compare the results. If the second strip also remains much brighter than the first, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor and show him the tests.
