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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If the ectopic pregnancy is large or outside the Fallopian tube, or if there are signs of severe bleeding inside the abdomen, surgery is required. Often the surgeon can use laparoscopic surgery (small incisions in the abdomen to remove the ectopic tissue), but sometimes a larger incision is required. In the case of a tubal pregnancy, if the tube has not ruptured, sometimes it is possible to extract the tissue from the tube. Often, however, tubal damage is so great that the Fallopian tube must be removed.

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