If you experience vaginal bleeding when you know you are pregnant, or if the vaginal bleeding is accompanied by severe pain or lightheadedness, seek medical attention right away.
This pain may feel sharp or stabbing, and its intensity may vary from one moment to another.
Sudden, severe abdominal or pelvic pain that lasts for more than a few minutes. Light-headedness or dizziness. Stabbing pain in the shoulder or neck. This may be caused by blood in the abdomen or under the diaphragm putting pressure on nerves that run to your shoulder. A sensation of pain or pressure in your rectum (this may feel like an urgent need to have a bowel movement). This may be a sign of internal bleeding, which needs immediate medical treatment. Low blood pressure. Nausea and vomiting. Pain on 1 side of your body. Sharp abdominal cramps. Weakness. Fainting.
Provide as many details as possible. For example, if you are experiencing pain, describe the location, type, and intensity of the pain. You might say, “I got a sudden, sharp pain in my pelvis about an hour ago, and it hasn’t gone away. ”
The date of your last period. Whether your last period was unusual in any way. Any previous pregnancies. Whether you are sexually active or trying to conceive. What type(s) of birth control you are using, if any. Whether you have had in vitro fertilization. Your previous history of serious health conditions, if any. Any medications you are currently taking.
While your doctor will not be able to definitively diagnose an ectopic pregnancy based on a pelvic exam alone, this exam can help narrow down the most likely causes of your symptoms.
Occasionally, it may be too early for an ectopic pregnancy to show on an ultrasound. If this is the case, your doctor may monitor your condition and repeat the ultrasound at a later date. An ectopic pregnancy is usually clearly visible on an ultrasound by 4-5 weeks after the date of conception.
The earlier you treat an ectopic pregnancy, the better your chances are of having a healthy pregnancy in the future. Remember that you are doing the best possible thing by getting the treatment you need.
You might ask questions like, “What are the risks of this procedure?” or “What are my chances of having another healthy pregnancy after this treatment?”
If there’s no one available to be there with you, some hospitals and medical centers employ chaplains or volunteers who can offer emotional support to patients who need it.
Your doctor may give you the methotrexate as a single injection or as multiple injections over the course of a week. A timely dosage of methotrexate may save your fallopian tubes from serious damage caused by surgery. This can increase your chances of having a healthy and successful pregnancy in the future. Your doctor will need to test your hCG levels over the next few weeks to confirm that the ectopic pregnancy has ended. If your hCG levels do not drop quickly enough, you may need surgery to remove the ectopic embryo.
Laparoscopic surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia, meaning you will not be awake for the surgery. If your fallopian tube is ruptured or seriously damaged, it may have to be removed along with the ectopic embryo. In serious emergencies (e. g. , if you are experiencing severe bleeding due to a rupture), a more invasive form of surgery, such as laparotomy, may be necessary. Follow all of your doctor’s pre- and post-surgery self-care instructions carefully.
Let your loved ones know exactly how they can help you. You may just want someone to talk to, or you may want someone to help you out around the house while you’re recovering from surgery. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you need.
Although it is natural to experience feelings of guilt after an ectopic pregnancy, remember that what happened is not your fault. There is nothing you could have done to prevent the ectopic pregnancy, and you did the right thing by seeking treatment.
