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Pregnancy |
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The
Woman During Pregnancy: Possible Problems and
Complications |
Ectopic Pregnancy
In very rare cases, the implantation of a fertilized egg (blastocyst) occurs outside the uterus, thus causing a so-called ectopic pregnancy (Literally: out-of-place pregnancy. From gr. ek=away and topos=place). Such a pregnancy cannot lead to the birth of a baby and is dangerous to the expectant mother. It must therefore be terminated by surgery.
Some women may not feel any symptoms, or they feel just the symptoms of a normal pregnancy. Others feels that something could be amiss, because they experience vaginal bleeding or spotting, abdominal cramps or pain and/or back pain. In any case, regular medical check-ups during pregnancy will discover whether it is ectopic. Blood tests and a vaginal ultrasound examination can confirm it. Ectopic pregnancies may occur in various places inside the body, but most of them occur in one of the Fallopian tubes. |
