Why does ectopic cause bleeding

They may not find out they have an ectopic pregnancy until an early scan shows the problem or they develop more serious symptoms later on. You may have an ectopic pregnancy if you miss a period, have a positive pregnancy test , and have other signs of pregnancy , in addition to any of the symptoms listed below.

Contact your GP or call NHS if you have a combination of any of these symptoms and you think you might be pregnant — even if you haven't had a positive pregnancy test. Vaginal bleeding tends to be a bit different to your regular period. It often starts and stops, and may be watery and dark brown in colour.

Some women mistake this bleeding for a regular period and don't realise they're pregnant. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is relatively common and isn't necessarily a sign of a serious problem, but you should seek medical advice if you experience it.

You may experience tummy pain , typically low down on 1 side. It can develop suddenly or gradually, and may be persistent or come and go. Emergency surgery is needed for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Your future fertility and your risk of having another ectopic pregnancy will be affected by your own risk factors. These can include smoking, use of assisted reproductive technology ART to get pregnant, and how much fallopian tube damage you have.

As long as you have one healthy fallopian tube, salpingostomy small tubal slit and salpingectomy part of a tube removed have about the same effect on your future fertility. But if your other tube is damaged, your doctor may try to do a salpingostomy. This may improve your chances of getting pregnant in the future.

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Top of the page. Topic Overview What is an ectopic pregnancy? What causes an ectopic pregnancy? Things that make you more likely to have fallopian tube damage and an ectopic pregnancy include: Smoking.

The more you smoke, the higher your risk of an ectopic pregnancy. Pelvic inflammatory disease PID. This is often the result of an infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. Endometriosis , which can cause scar tissue in or around the fallopian tubes. Being exposed to the chemical DES before you were born. These include: Surgery on the fallopian tubes or in the pelvic area. Fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization.

What are the symptoms? The key signs of an ectopic pregnancy are: Pelvic or belly pain. It may be sharp on one side at first and then spread through your belly. It may be worse when you move or strain. Vaginal bleeding. How is an ectopic pregnancy diagnosed?

To find out if you have an ectopic pregnancy, your doctor will likely do: A pelvic examination to check the size of your uterus and feel for growths or tenderness in your belly. A blood test that checks the level of the pregnancy hormone hCG. This test is repeated 2 days later. During early pregnancy, the level of this hormone doubles every 2 days.

Low levels suggest a problem, such as ectopic pregnancy. An ultrasound. This test can show pictures of what is inside your belly. With ultrasound, a doctor can usually see a pregnancy in the uterus 6 weeks after your last menstrual period. How is it treated? What can you expect after an ectopic pregnancy? But it does mean that: You may have trouble getting pregnant. You are more likely to have another ectopic pregnancy. Cause Fallopian tube damage is a common cause of ectopic pregnancy.

Common causes of fallopian tube damage that may lead to an ectopic pregnancy include: Smoking. Smoking is thought to damage the fallopian tubes' ability to move the fertilized egg toward the uterus.

Pelvic inflammatory disease PID , such as from a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. PID can create scar tissue in the fallopian tubes. Fallopian tube surgery, often used to reverse a tubal ligation or to repair a scarred or blocked tube. A previous ectopic pregnancy in a fallopian tube. Symptoms An early ectopic pregnancy often feels like a normal pregnancy.

A woman with an ectopic pregnancy may experience common signs of early pregnancy, such as: A missed menstrual period. Tender breasts. Increased urination. First signs of an ectopic pregnancy may include: Vaginal bleeding, which may be light. Abdominal belly pain or pelvic pain, usually 6 to 8 weeks after a missed period. As an ectopic pregnancy progresses, though, other symptoms may develop, including: Belly pain or pelvic pain that may get worse with movement or straining.

It may occur sharply on one side at first and then spread throughout the pelvic region. Heavy or severe vaginal bleeding. Pain with intercourse or during a pelvic examination. Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting syncope caused by internal bleeding. Signs of shock. Shoulder pain caused by bleeding into the abdomen under the diaphragm. The bleeding irritates the diaphragm and is experienced as shoulder pain. What Happens Normally, at the beginning of a pregnancy, the fertilized egg travels from the fallopian tube to the uterus , where it implants and grows.

In rare cases: The egg attaches and grows in an ovary, the cervix, or the abdominal cavity outside of the reproductive system. One or more eggs grow in the uterus, and one or more grow in a fallopian tube, the cervix, or the abdominal cavity.

This is called a heterotopic pregnancy. Complications of ectopic pregnancy Ectopic pregnancy can damage the fallopian tube, which can make it difficult to become pregnant in the future.

What Increases Your Risk Things that can increase your risk of having an ectopic pregnancy include: A previous ectopic pregnancy. Past or present cigarette smoking.

The more you smoke, the higher the risk. Experts suspect that smoking affects fallopian tube function. A history of pelvic inflammatory disease PID , often caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea. Exposure to the chemical DES diethylstilbestrol before you were born. Medical treatments and procedures that can increase your risk of having an ectopic pregnancy include: Previous fallopian tube surgery to treat infertility or to reverse a tubal ligation.

A tubal ligation failure. In rare cases when pregnancy happens after a sterilization surgery, there is a higher-than-usual risk that the pregnancy is ectopic.

A progestin-only birth control failure, such as progestin-only pills, or a pregnancy that happens with an intrauterine device IUD in place. This may result from the passing of the fertilized egg into a fallopian tube after it is transferred to the uterus. Infection after any kind of surgery done on the uterus or fallopian tubes. This can lead to scar tissue.

When should you call your doctor? Call or other emergency services immediately if: You passed out lost consciousness. You have severe vaginal bleeding. You have sudden, severe pain in your belly or pelvis.

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if: You are dizzy or light-headed, or you feel like you may faint. You have vaginal bleeding. You have new cramps or new pain in your belly or pelvis. You have new pain in your shoulder. Who to see Your family doctor , general practitioner , or an emergency medicine specialist can check you for an ectopic pregnancy.

Examinations and Tests Most ectopic pregnancies can be detected using a pelvic examination, ultrasound, and blood tests.

If you have symptoms of a possible ectopic pregnancy, you will have: A pelvic examination, which can detect tenderness in the uterus or fallopian tubes, less enlargement of the uterus than expected for a pregnancy, or a mass in the pelvic area.

A pelvic ultrasound transvaginal or abdominal , which uses sound waves to produce a picture of the organs and structures in the lower abdomen. A transvaginal ultrasound is used to show where a pregnancy is located.

A pregnancy in the uterus is visible 6 weeks after the last menstrual period. An ectopic pregnancy is likely if there are no signs of an embryo or fetus in the uterus as expected, but hCG levels are elevated or rising. Two or more blood tests of pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG levels, taken 48 hours apart.

During the early weeks of a normal pregnancy, hCG levels double every 2 days. 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. If so, she might need more methotrexate or surgery. Most women who have had an ectopic pregnancy can have normal pregnancies in the future. Any woman can have an ectopic pregnancy. But the risk is higher for women who are older than 35 and those who have had:.

Some birth control methods also can affect a woman's risk of ectopic pregnancy. Those who become pregnant while using an intrauterine device IUD might be more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy. Smoking and having multiple sexual partners also increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy. If you believe you're at risk for an ectopic pregnancy, meet with your doctor to talk about your options before you become pregnant.

If you are pregnant and have any concerns about the pregnancy being ectopic, talk to your doctor — it's important to find it early. Your doctor might want to check your hormone levels or schedule an early ultrasound to ensure that your pregnancy is developing normally.