[kellyhound]

An ectopic pregnancy, or eccysis, is a complication of pregnancy in which the embryo implants outside the uterine cavity.

With rare exceptions, ectopic pregnancies are not viable. Furthermore, they are dangerous for the mother, since internal haemorrhage is a life-threatening complication.

Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube (so-called tubal pregnancies), but implantation can also occur in the cervix, ovaries, and abdomen.

An ectopic pregnancy is a potential medical emergency, and, if not treated properly, can lead to death.

Detection of ectopic pregnancy in early gestation has been achieved mainly due to enhanced diagnostic capability.

Despite all these notable successes in diagnostics and detection techniques ectopic pregnancy remains a source of serious maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in countries with poor prenatal care.

In a typical ectopic pregnancy, the embryo adheres to the lining of the fallopian tube and burrows into the tubal lining. Most commonly this invades vessels and will cause bleeding.

This intratubal bleeding hematosalpinx expels the implantation out of the tubal end as a tubal abortion.

Tubal abortion is a common type of miscarriage. There is no inflammation of the tube in ectopic pregnancy.

The pain is caused by prostaglandins released at the implantation site, and by free blood in the peritoneal cavity, which is a local irritant.

Sometimes the bleeding might be heavy enough to threaten the health or life of the woman. Usually this degree of bleeding is due to delay in diagnosis, but sometimes, especially if the implantation is in the proximal tube (just before it enters the uterus), it may invade into the nearby Sampson artery, causing heavy bleeding earlier than usual.

If left untreated, about half of ectopic pregnancies will resolve without treatment. These are the tubal abortions.

The advent of methotrexate treatment for ectopic pregnancy has reduced the need for surgery; however, surgical intervention is still required in cases where the Fallopian tube has ruptured or is in danger of doing so.

This intervention may be laparoscopic or through a larger incision, known as a laparotomy.

[corpsehands]

That's one hell of a picture

[T2]

I had an ectopic pregnancy, right before my daughter. Fortunately, I was already in the emergency room when it ruptured.

[vagabond]

One might never know she'd been pregnant!

[choochie]

Originally Posted by teacherof2 ↗

I had an ectopic pregnancy, right before my daughter. Fortunately, I was already in the emergency room when it ruptured.

I had one of those. I think it was almost 12 hours before I went into surgery so I lost a lot of blood. Tube ruptured.

[T2]

Originally Posted by choochie ↗

I had one of those. I think it was almost 12 hours before I went into surgery so I lost a lot of blood. Tube ruptured.

Why did you have to wait so long?

[choochie]

Originally Posted by teacherof2 ↗

Why did you have to wait so long?

Well, at first I didn't know what was wrong. I got hit real hard (we were at an outdoor event). I didn't know whether to vomit, shit my pants or pass out. I went off to the car and hubby finally found me. Couldn't move for the aforementioned reasons. We went home.

I seemed to rally later in the day. In fact I think I went and did a couple things, like put up some vertical blinds or something stupid like that. Then later I had a bit of soup and I really went downhill. So it wasn't long after we went in to the ER (I should have known better). I remember screaming at the top of the hill. You should have seen my husband cling to the steering wheel!

Then it's late at night, they have to poke and prod and arrange for the surgeon to come in. I think it was somewhere around 2 or 3:00 a.m.

Anyway, I learned you're in real trouble when pain makes you want to puke.

[T2]

I understand that all too well. I had bleeding the week before, but blew it off as just overexerting myself, even though I suspected something was wrong. The bleeding stopped, so I figured it had passed. Then, the night before I ruptured, it felt like something had hit me really hard in the back and my stomach was killing me.

The next day, when I started bleeding heavily, I finally called my dr. She sent me in for an ultrasound, and the nurse who did it said that a radiologist would call my dr with the results and then my dr would call me. She left the room without another word and didn't come back. She didn't say whether I should wait or leave, so I left.

About 30 minutes later, the dr called my husband and told him to take me to the hospital right away. So, he got me and we went it. 20 minutes after we got there, my tube ruptured and I was rushed into surgery .

[LadyCPlum]

My sister's best friend has had two ectopics, both in the same fallopian tube. The first time out they were able to save the tube, the second time, they just removed it, it was so covered in scar tissue there wasn't even enough space for something as small as a human egg to pass through. She and her husband just decided to give up on ever becoming parents after that.

[Jere]

it kind looks like a oyster...