Dealing with an ectopic pregnancy

After five years of trying to have a child, the Olufades were blessed with a pregnancy. The couple’s joy knew no bounds. They shared testimonies with family. The joy was, however shortlived. Eight weeks into the pregnancy, Mrs Olufade had abdominal pains and ended up in hospital. Series of tests later, the diagnosis came out: […]

After five years of trying to have a child, the Olufades were blessed with a pregnancy. The couple’s joy knew no bounds. They shared testimonies with family.

The joy was, however shortlived. Eight weeks into the pregnancy, Mrs Olufade had abdominal pains and ended up in hospital. Series of tests later, the diagnosis came out: ectopic pregnancy. She underwent surgery to ease the pain.

In a normal pregnancy, after conception, the embryo formed is implanted in the uterus. In ectopic pregnancy, the embryo is implanted somewhere else other than the uterus—sometimes in one of the fallopian tubes.

It comes with severe pain that may feel like menstrual pain—or as if a woman is having a miscarriage, with cramping and some bleeding.

The regular signs of a pregnancy—missed or late periods, tender breasts may occur with unusual vaginal bleeding, which is different from normal periods.

The structure where the foetus is implanted usually ruptures after about six to 16 weeks, long before the foetus is viable. When an ectopic pregnancy ruptures, bleeding may be severe and even life threatening. 

The later the structure ruptures, the worse the blood loss, and the higher the risk of death.

Dr Henry Osazuwa, consultant gynaecologist at Wellsprings Hospital, Abuja said ectopic pregnancy is a tubal pregnancy that grows and causes pain and bleeding. 

“If it’s not treated it can make your tube rupture, causing internal bleeding. This is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated. Sadly, the pregnancy won’t survive, and cannot be moved to the womb,” he said.

The topic is important: women can die from it, if the situation is not handled urgently.

Most times in ectopic pregnancies, women bleed into the abdominal cavity. Because this bleeding isn’t visible, it is a major problem.

“Damage may be delayed but when it gets to healthcare centre it may be unrecognised early and when recognised, intervention may not be adequate,” said Osazuwa.

“Any pregnancy that is located elsewhere, apart from what we call ‘ureteral endometrium’, is known as ectopic pregnancy,” he said.

The fallopian tubes—which are attached to the uterus and transport sperm to eggs one way and then transport the fertilised egg into the uterus—are the most common site for an ectopic pregnancy.

“This part of the fallopian tube that we call the ampulla end, almost 90 percent of ectopic pregnancies are found there. It can also be found in the ovaries, also known as ovarian ectopic but can rarely be found in the cervix,  that is, the neck of the womb. Some women’s uterus are not completely formed at birth, it has the main uterus and a small appendix attached to it, so the ectopic can also be found there,” he said.

Ectopic pregnancies can also start growing around the abdomen, known as abdominal pregnancy. But pregnancy in the fallopian tube is the commonest, and commands the most discussion.

Symptoms such as pain, fainting and dizziness resulting from blood loss into the abdominal cavity come with it, and require immediate medical attention.

“And once they get to the hospital they accept a prompt diagnosis. The lesson we often give medical doctors is to first suspect ectopic pregnancy and once it is suspected, it is easier to make a diagnosis because you are watching out for it,”  Osazuwa said.