Ectopic Pregnancy: Diagnosis and Treatment

Ectopic pregnancies are diagnosed by your doctor, who performed a pelvic exam to locate tenderness, pain or a mass in the abdomen. Your doctor will recommend an ultrasound examination to determine developing fetus in the uterus or elsewhere. The ultrasound can be performed using a wand-like device in your vagina early in pregnancy.It uses sound waves to create images of your fallopian tubes and uterus ovaries. A transvaginal ultrasound images allows your doctor to identify the exact location of your pregnancy. Abdominal ultrasound may also be used to confirm your problems with your pregnancy or evaluate for internal bleeding. The measurement of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels also plays an important role. The lower level of an hCG than expected is one of the primary reasons to suspect an Ectopic pregnancy. If your doctor confirms that you have an Ectopic pregnancy, she will recommend you about the best available treatment based on future plans for pregnancy and your present medical condition. Low levels of progesterone in your body could be a sign of an Ectopic pregnancy, so your doctor may also test your progesterone levels for diagnosing an Ectopic pregnancy. Apart from progesterone levels tests, your doctor may perform a culdocentesis, which is a process in which a needle is inserted into a space at the top of the vagina, in front of the rectum and behind the uterus. The sign of blood in this area may suggest bleeding from a ruptured fallopian tube.

Treatment of an Ectopic pregnancy depends on the physical health conditions of the woman and the size and location of the Ectopic pregnancy. The injection of methotrexate could be a treatment against early Ectopic pregnancy case as it stops the growth of the embryo.If the pregnancy is farther along, the fertilization of egg can’t able to develop and survive outside of the uterus. In such conditions the patient immediately needs a surgery to remove the abnormal pregnancy so the tissue has to be removed successfully to safe the patient having serious complications. Few years ago, this complication requires a major operation and requiring a large incision across the pelvic area. But this can still be necessary in cases of extensive internal injury or emergency. Your doctor can apply an injection of methotrexate (Trexall) if your pregnancy hasn’t progressed very far and fallopian tube hasn’t ruptured. It stops the cells from further growth and your body can be able to absorb them. Early detection of Ectopic pregnancies can be treated with methotrexate.If the condition worst and severe a surgery is required. The most common surgery is laparoscopy. In this surgery a very small incisions in your lower abdomen has been done and a thin, flexible instrument (laparoscope) has been inserted to remove the Ectopic pregnancy. If the condition of the fallopian tube is bad, the doctor recommends removing it as well. You might need an immediate emergency surgery with a larger incision, if you’re bleeding to a great extent or your doctor suspects your fallopian tube is ruptured. This condition is called laparotomy.

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