Although the chances of ectopic pregnancy in women are small, it is necessary to pay enough attention to it, otherwise it can endanger your health and even lead to life-threatening situations. So what are the symptoms that indicate you have an ectopic pregnancy? Below, we have listed the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy for you to read.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy refers to the implantation and development of a fertilized egg outside the uterine cavity, also known as "ectopic gestation."
Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy
(1) Missed period: Menstruation is delayed for about 6 weeks and there may be early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. A pregnancy test will be positive.
(2) Abdominal pain: The incidence rate is 95%. There may be dull pain on one side of the lower abdomen. There can be severe cramping lower abdominal pain, which can make your face pale and sweaty. This is caused by spasms and can subside on its own after a while. There can also be a severe tearing pain in the lower abdomen, accompanied by a feeling of defecation. This is caused by rupture and bleeding of the fallopian tube.
(3) Vaginal bleeding: Around 40 days after missed period, there may be a small amount of vaginal bleeding, which is usually dark brown in color, in droplets, and less in amount than normal menstruation.
(4) Diarrhea: Some ectopic pregnancy patients may also experience diarrhea, which is caused by the stimulation of blood in the abdominal cavity on the intestines. If the condition is not carefully analyzed, it can easily be mistaken for indigestion or a gastrointestinal emergency.
(5) Pale complexion: The face lacks color, pale as paper, accompanied by dry mouth, palpitations, feeling cold, and fatigue.
(6) Fainting: Sudden loss of consciousness, followed by dizziness and blurred vision upon waking up; milder cases may only experience dizziness and blurred vision. This is caused by excessive bleeding in the abdominal cavity and reduced blood supply to the brain, resulting in cerebral anemia. Fainting caused by ectopic pregnancy can easily be mistaken for hypoglycemia.
Causes of Ectopic Pregnancy
1. Perforated appendicitis: Involvement of the fallopian tube can block it and increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy by 2 times.
2. Repeated abortions: If a woman undergoes repeated abortions, it can cause great damage to the uterus, making it unsuitable for the implantation of fertilized eggs.
3. Surgical procedures: Emergency surgical procedures for perforated appendicitis can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy by 1.8 times.
4. Reproductive tract infections: Common gynecological infections, such as vaginitis and cervicitis, can ascend and cause inflammation in the fallopian tubes.
5. Smoking and alcohol consumption: Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption can also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
6. Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease: Inflammation can cause adhesion, narrowing, and irregularities in the fallopian tube mucosa, resulting in weakened muscular contractions of the fallopian tube wall and affecting the transport of fertilized eggs.
7. Improper contraception: Contraceptive pills can affect the levels of estrogen and progesterone, which in turn affect the motility and ciliary activity of the fallopian tube wall epithelial cells. Hormonal imbalance can disrupt the transport of fertilized eggs and lead to tubal pregnancy. Some women lack self-protection awareness and misuse contraceptive pills without long-term contraception measures, thus increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
