Ectopic pregnancy

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Ectopic pregnancy	Female reproductive anatomy	Pelvic laparoscopy	Ultrasound, normal fetus - foot
Ultrasound in pregnancy	Uterus

Tubal pregnancy; Cervical pregnancy; Abdominal pregnancy

• Lower abdominal or pelvic pain
• Mild cramping on one side of the pelvis
• Amenorrhea (missed period)
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding (usually spotting)
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea
• Low back pain

If the area of the abnormal pregnancy ruptures and bleeds, symptoms may get worse. They may include:

• Severe, sharp, and sudden pain in the lower abdominal area
• Feeling faint or actually fainting
• Referred pain to the shoulder area

Internal bleeding due to a rupture may lead to shock. This is the first symptom of nearly 20% of ectopic pregnancies.

The health care provider will perform a pelvic exam, which may reveal tenderness in the pelvic area. A pregnancy test is usually positive (says you are pregnant).

Tests that may be done include:

• Hematocrit (may be normal or high)
• White blood count (may be normal or high) 
• Culdocentesis (to check for blood in the pelvic/abdomen area) 
• Transvaginal ultrasound or pregnancy ultrasound (shows an empty uterus)

A laparoscopy, laparotomy, or D and C may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

An ectopic pregnancy may affect the results of a serum progesterone test.

Review Date: 05/15/2006
Reviewed By: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.