Ectopic and Tubal pregnancy symptoms

An ectopic pregnancy is one of the complications of pregnancy where the fertilized egg is implanted in any tissue other than the uterus. Almost all the ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes, but implantation can also occur in the cervix, abdomen, and ovaries. An embryo that is implanted in any other tissue than the uterus produces enzymes that can cause great damage to the tissues to reach a sufficient supply of blood.
Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy
Early signs of ectopic pregnancy will be same as those of normal pregnancy like missed periods, nausea and breast tenderness. But an ectopic pregnancy cannot continue like a normal uterine pregnancy and may show tubal pregnancy signs.

Early ectopic pregnancy symptoms are either subtle or absent.

• Pain while urinating due to inflammation
• Pain in the lower abdomen often confused with a strong stomach cramp or stomach pain
• Mild pain and discomfort
• Pain while having a bowel movement
• Weakness, fainting and dizziness
• Mild vaginal bleeding which can be often mistaken as an implantation bleeding or an early miscarriage. An ectopic pregnancy is considered as a failing pregnancy where the progesterone levels fall causing withdrawal bleeding.

Pain and bleeding are the common tubal pregnancy symptoms when late diagnosis occurs. The external vaginal bleeding is due to falling progesterone levels and the internal bleeding is usually due to a hemorrhage from the affected tube. At this point there can be different diagnosis ranging from miscarriage, early normal pregnancy and ectopic pregnancy. A severe internal bleeding may cause the following ectopic pregnancy signs –

• Pelvic pain, lower back pain and abdominal pain
• Shoulder pain – this is an ominous sign caused by free blood tracking up the abdominal cavity
• Tenderness and cramping in one side of the pelvis
• Pelvic pain different from a cyclical pelvic pain, often of a recent onset which gets worse

The symptoms of a tubal pregnancy can also mimic other conditions like gastrointestinal disorder, appendicitis, urinary system problems, pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynecologic problems. Any suspected symptoms of tubal pregnancy like unusual bleeding or lower abdominal pain in a sexually active woman who has a pregnancy test positive should consult a specialist immediately. The treatment will depend largely on the location and size of the pregnancy. However an early treatment will preserve the chances for future fertility of the woman who is planning for pregnancy.