A Critical Condition: Tubal Pregnancy

What is a Tubal Pregnancy?

The term tubal pregnancy basically refers to that of an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the fertilized ovum is implanted in any tissue other than that of the uterine wall. Whereas in a normal pregnancy the fertilized egg enters the uterus and settles into the uterine lining where it has plenty of room to divide and grow, in the case of a tubal pregnancy, the embryo does not reach the uterus, but instead adheres to the lining of the fallopian tube.

Basically then, as the embryo implants and grows, the tube then becomes stretched and inflamed, resulting in a significant amount of pain in the woman. As well, if a tubal pregnancy goes untreated, the affected fallopian tube will likely burst which will cause that of gynecologic hemorrhage and can endanger the life of the woman.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of a Tubal Pregnancy?

There are certain signs and symptoms that you may experience with a tubal pregnancy, which can include any of the following: lower back, abdominal, or pelvic pain; shoulder pain; cramping or tenderness on one or both sides of the pelvis; vaginal bleeding; low serum hematocrit due to loss of blood; and elevated serum human chorionic gonadotropin due to pregnancy.

In regards to the diagnosis of a tubal pregnancy, the most important issue is that of notice, meaning that a tubal pregnancy has to be suspected in any woman who is complaining of lower abdominal pain, or bleeding, and who is sexually active and who has a pregnancy test done which comes back positive. As well, an abnormal rise in blood HCG levels may indicate this type of pregnancy, and an ultrasound examination is commonly used in order to reveal the abnormal location of the pregnancy.

These types of pregnancies are extremely dangerous, and are in fact considered as being not rare in the world of today, although they were not too long ago. The signs and symptoms that come along with these pregnancies usually allow for that of early diagnosis and treatment, and it is incredibly important to have a high index of suspicion for this type of pregnancy since the symptoms of tubal pregnancies can be subtle or misleading.

Basically, in regards to the approach that is used to treat these tubal pregnancies, this basically involves that of surgical management as being the more traditional approach; many tubal pregnancies can be removed while conserving the fallopian tube, while others require the removal of the involved fallopian tube altogether.

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