Ectopic Pregnancy: Symptoms, Causes and Risks

By EmpowHER

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Ectopic is defined as “out of place.” An ectopic pregnancy is a fertilized egg that has planted itself outside the uterus. More than likely, eggs will land in the fallopian tubes but they can also travel into the ovaries, abdomen or cervix.

Ectopic pregnancy can be very dangerous for the mother and unborn child. When the fetus starts to develop in organs other than the uterus, the organ is stretched until it bursts, which causes severe bleeding. Normally, with ectopic pregnancies live birth does not occur.

Symptoms include the following:

Abdominal pain
Absence of menstrual pain
Vaginal bleeding or intermittent bleeding (spotting)
Breast tenderness
Nausea
Vomiting
Frequent urination
Dizziness or fainting (caused by blood loss)
Low blood pressure (cause by blood loss)
Lower back pain

Ectopic pregnancies can be difficult to determine because symptoms can mimic a normal pregnancy. This is why prenatal doctor visits are very important.

https://www.empowher.com/reproductive-system/content/are-you-risk-ectopic-pregnancy