What Is An Ectopic Pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy is something that most women do not assume will happen to them, but when it does it is a very emotionally draining experience. Because an ectopic pregnancy starts like any other healthy pregnancy the letdown is generally considerable. Ectopic pregnancies are also known as tubal pregnancies, and a lot of the time women don't know that anything is wrong so they begin to plan for the birth of their child. The excitement and joy typically builds until the first ultrasound or abdominal pain wipes away all of the joy and planning.

Technically speaking, an ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs when a fertilized ovum implants on any tissue other than the endometrial lining of the uterus. The ovum then continues to develop, as it would have in the endometrial lining. Eventually, the ovum grows to be so big that it causes pain for the mother. Luckily, it doesn't take much time or much growth until the mother or her doctor decides that something is not quite right. Experts actually believe that a large number of women experience ectopic pregnancies that result in miscarriage because the body is able to sense that the pregnancy is not a viable ones and then rejects the pregnancy altogether. Unfortunately not every woman's body will miscarry the doomed pregnancy and a doctor must get involved to relieve the pain and discomfort along with the pregnancy.

For most women, when an ectopic pregnancy occurs the ovum attaches in the fallopian tubes, the abdomen, or even the cervix. The problem is that none of these areas are able to nurture a baby so that it can develop normally and there is no way for a doctor to simply transplant the developing ovum to the uterus where it can develop normally. Treating an ectopic pregnancy has become quite a bit easier in recent years, as it requires much less invasive techniques, making the whole process a lot less painful both physically and emotionally. Advances such as laparoscopy or laparotomy can be done to remove the misplaced ovum. In rare instances the pregnant woman will be required to undergo surgery, but these cases are becoming more and more uncommon all the time.

Unfortunately for those that will become pregnant now and in the near future, there is no way to prevent ectopic pregnancies. Experts do know that having experiences such as pelvic inflammatory disease, a previous tubal ligation, or a history of ectopic pregnancies put a woman at an increased risk of experiencing such a pregnancy, but there is nothing definitive about who experiences an ectopic pregnancy and who does not. Abnormal uterine growth or abdominal pain are typically the only symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, but some women do not experience them at all.

All women should know that even if they do experience one ectopic pregnancy, you will most likely be able to go on and have successful pregnancies in the future. Most experts agree that women should wait several cycles before attempting to become pregnant, but most become pregnant with a healthy pregnancy as soon as they attempt again. Knowing that you can go on to have happy, healthy children won't undo the ectopic pregnancy, but it will help with the emotional pain to know that you can go on to have children. When you visit the www.pregnancysafe.com website you can learn even more about ectopic pregnancies as well as how to have a healthy and happy pregnancy.