Ectopic pregnancy what kind of pain

It might be felt on just one side of the pelvis or all over. The tube can get blocked from an infection or inflammation. The tube can get blocked from:. If a woman might have an ectopic pregnancy, her doctor may do an ultrasound to see where the developing fetus is. How doctors treat an ectopic pregnancy depends on things like the size and location of the pregnancy.

Sometimes they can treat an early ectopic pregnancy with an injection of methotrexate, which stops the growth of the embryo. If the pregnancy is farther along, doctors usually need to do surgery to remove the abnormal pregnancy. Whatever treatment she gets, a woman will see her doctor regularly afterward to make sure her pregnancy hormone levels return to zero.

This may take several weeks. An elevated level could mean that some ectopic tissue was missed. For more information, see the resource about signs of miscarriage. Ultrasound is an imaging technique which uses soundwaves to create an image of the developing pregnancy. It is a painless and non-invasive procedure which can be performed in two different ways: [8].

In diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy, doctors will look for where the pregnancy is located in the ultrasound images. Ultrasound indicators for ectopic pregnancy include: [9]. No pregnancy in the uterus, or a gestation sac in the uterus missing an embryo: This is a pregnancy of unknown location PUL.

This is a label given until the pregnancy location can be found, and a diagnosis can be given. Many of these will not be ectopic and will not need treatment. No pregnancy in the uterus and a possible mass in the area of a fallopian tube: This would likely lead to diagnosis of a possible ectopic pregnancy.

Human chorionic gonadotropin hCG is a hormone produced by the placenta, an organ that develops in the womb during pregnancy. A beta hCG blood test can detect hCG in the blood approximately 11 days after conception and establish the precise amount of hCG present.

This might be used if a person has been pregnant for six weeks, but an ultrasound scan does not show a developing pregnancy in the uterus. The test may be repeated at intervals to measure changes in hCG levels. Possible indicators for ectopic pregnancy from a beta hCG blood test include: [11]. In a healthy pregnancy, hCG levels in the blood double about every two to four days throughout the first trimester, reaching their peak after weeks and then decreasing before plateauing during the second trimester.

Rarely, laparoscopy, a type of keyhole surgery, is used to confirm the diagnosis, if hCG and ultrasound results are ambiguous. Under general anesthetic, a laparoscope, a narrow instrument with a camera and light on the end, is inserted through a small cut, usually into the belly button, to look at the pelvis.

If an ectopic pregnancy is found, treatment to remove it may take place during the same operation. An ectopic pregnancy can be life threatening if left untreated and normally requires medical or surgical intervention to remove it.

However, in some cases, when it is diagnosed early, ectopic pregnancy may be monitored to see if it will resolve on its own. Treatment options depend on: [12]. Also known as conservative or wait-and-see management, expectant management involves waiting to see if the ectopic pregnancy tissue passes out of the cervix on its own, instead of undergoing immediate treatment.

Expectant management is only offered as an option in some cases of very early diagnosis. Candidates for expectant management of ectopic pregnancy should: [13]. The approach involves close monitoring by medical professionals through repeated blood tests to check that hCG levels are dropping. It can take a few weeks or sometimes months for this to happen. About half of ectopic pregnancies may resolve on their own where there is a drop in hCG levels. If a person develops new symptoms, another ultrasound scan may be done, and treatment options will be reassessed.

Medical or surgical intervention may be required if it does not complete as planned. Sometimes, an ectopic pregnancy may be treated with a medication called methotrexate. This stops the growth of the embryo and typically allows surgery to be avoided. Medical management may be suitable if a diagnosis has been made very early.

Treatment with methotrexate is an especially attractive option if the pregnancy is located in the cervix or ovary or in the interstitial or the cornual portion of the tube. Surgical treatment in these cases is often associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage.

Methotrexate is administered as an injection, usually a single shot into the buttock muscle. After the injection, there may be an overnight stay in hospital, and regular follow-up visits will be needed for a few weeks to monitor hCG levels until they return to normal.

Some people will need a second injection of methotrexate. Very occasionally, surgery will still be required. Some pain is likely in the first few days after the injection, but this can usually be controlled with paracetamol. Certain substances should be avoided during treatment, including: [3]. Good to know: Apart from being used as a medication for ectopic pregnancy, methotrexate is a chemotherapy drug and immune system suppressant used to treat a variety of other conditions.

It can cause significant side-effects. However, the dose to treat ectopic pregnancy is much lower and is unlikely to cause severe problems. There are two possible aims for surgical management, which will be decided depending on damage to the affected fallopian tube and the condition of the other tube.

These are: [12] [13]. Total salpingectomy: This involves removal of the tube containing the ectopic pregnancy and is normally recommended for people who either do not want to have any children in future, who have had another ectopic pregnancy in the same fallopian tube, or who have severely damaged tubes. This reduces the risk of a persistent ectopic pregnancy, in which some ectopic cells are left behind and continue to grow, or further ectopic pregnancies. Discomfort with bloating and a feeling of fullness not associated with eating when lying down, particularly if you have already had a child.

Shoulder tip pain is exactly where it says — not the neck or the back but the tip of your shoulder. If you look to the left over your shoulder and then cast your eyes down, the tip of your shoulder is where your shoulder ends and your arm starts.

Shoulder tip pain is very distinctive. You know when you have it because it is a very weird pain you have probably never experienced before. The pain may have begun suddenly. Shoulders cause pain when we are stressed because we hold ourselves more rigidly and muscles in the back and neck go in to spasm or you may have slept in an awkward position — this is most likely not shoulder tip pain related to an ectopic pregnancy. Significant shoulder tip pain tends to develop with other symptoms such as feeling unwell, abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, faintness, abdominal bloating and fullness, or pain when opening your bowels.

It is caused by internal bleeding irritating the diaphragm the muscle in your chest which helps you to breathe when you breathe in and out. Some pain and a change in your normal bladder and bowel pattern are features of a typical pregnancy for some. If you are experiencing these symptoms with or without shoulder tip pain present, seek urgent medical attention.

This may be by calling an ambulance. It is difficult at times to know what symptoms are concerning. If you are at all worried, you should seek medical advice. This may involve a blood test in the first instance or an ultrasound scan dependent on how many weeks pregnant you are and your symptoms.

It is important to remember that pregnancy symptoms are common and that not all experiencing such symptoms have an ectopic pregnancy. However, it is important to be vigilant and if in doubt, seek medical attention and advice. Professionals Leaflets Guidance Reports Collaborations. It can develop suddenly or gradually, and may be persistent or come and go. Tummy pain can have lots of causes, including stomach bugs and trapped wind, so it doesn't necessarily mean you have an ectopic pregnancy.

It's not known exactly why it occurs, but it can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy causing some internal bleeding, so you should get medical advice right away if you experience it. You may experience pain when going for a pee or poo. You may also have diarrhoea. Some changes to your normal bladder and bowel patterns are normal during pregnancy, and these symptoms can be caused by urinary tract infections and stomach bugs.

But it's still a good idea to seek medical advice if you experience these symptoms and think you might be pregnant.