Ectopic Pregnancy

1. Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow Pictures
2. Early Pregnancy Symptoms
3. Conception (Egg to Embryo) Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Stephen Metz, MD

Coauthor:

Jeff Disney, MD, FAAEM

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Ectopic Pregnancy Overview
• Ectopic Pregnancy Causes
• Ectopic Pregnancy Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosis
• Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment
• Ectopic Pregnancy Self-Care at Home
• Ectopic Pregnancy Medical Treatment
• Ectopic Pregnancy Medications
• Surgery for Ectopic Pregnancy
• Ectopic Pregnancy Other Therapy
• Ectopic Pregnancy Follow-up
• Ectopic Pregnancy Prevention
• Ectopic Pregnancy Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Ectopic Pregnancy from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Ectopic Pregnancy - Symptoms

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that develops outside a woman's uterus (womb). This happens when the fertilized egg from the ovary does not reach or implant itself normally in the uterus. Instead, the egg develops somewhere else in the abdomen. The products of this conception are abnormal and cannot develop into fetuses.

• The most common place that ectopic pregnancy occurs is in one of the Fallopian tubes (a so-called tubal pregnancy). These are the tubes that transport the egg from the ovary to the uterus. Ectopic pregnancies also can be found on the outside of the uterus, on the ovaries, or attached to the bowel.
• The most serious complication of an ectopic pregnancy is intra-abdominal hemorrhage (severe bleeding). In the case of a tubal pregnancy, for example, as the products of conception continue to grow in the Fallopian tube, the tube expands and eventually ruptures. This can be very dangerous because a large artery runs on the outside of each Fallopian tube. If the artery ruptures, the woman can bleed severely.
• Ectopic pregnancy is usually found in the first 5-10 weeks of pregnancy.
• Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the first trimester of pregnancy in the US.

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