Ectopic Pregnancy: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments
Dr Amita Shah has more than 25 years of experience in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has been the head of department at Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon for the last 12 years and also headed the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Apollo Cradle Hospital, Sector-14 and Miracles Mediclinic, Sector-56, Gurgaon
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs outside the womb (uterus). It is a life-threatening condition for the mother. This kind of pregnancy occurs due to several reasons like defects in the fallopian tubes, by birth, or scarring after a ruptured appendix. The most common site for an ectopic pregnancy is within one of the two fallopian tubes. In rare cases, ectopic pregnancies can occur in the ovary, abdomen or cervix.
Symptoms Of Ectopic Pregnancy – There can be early pregnancy symptoms such as breast tenderness or nausea. Other symptoms may include abnormal vaginal bleeding, low back pain, pelvic cramping, missing periods. If the area around the abnormal pregnancy ruptures and bleeds, symptoms may get worse. They may include fainting or dizziness, rectal pressure, low blood pressure, shoulder pain or severe lower abdominal pain.
Treatment Options
There are two types of treatment for ectopic pregnancy that are available at hospitals in India – medical management or surgical intervention. At our hospitals if the ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed in early stages then the best way to treat it is through an injection of methotrexate. This stops the growth of the embryo. If the pregnancy is at a matured stage then our gynaecologist may advise you surgery for ectopic pregnancy. But sometimes ectopic tissue can be removed using laparoscopy, a less invasive surgical procedure.
Whatever your treatment, our gynaecologist will want to see you regularly afterwards to make sure your HCG levels return to zero. This may take several weeks. An elevated HCG could mean that some ectopic tissue is still present.
Ectopic Pregnancy can be a life threatening condition which some patients do not understand and keep moving from one doctor to another, wasting precious time. You must trust the doctor and go ahead with the treatment prescribed by them in case of ectopic pregnancy. In such emergencies you must value the life of the female who could be your wife, girlfriend or your daughter.
Best Doctor and Treatment Cost
The cost of ectopic pregnancy management would be in the range of Rs. 25000 – 95000 depending upon whether it is medical or surgical. However since it is not an elective procedure it is advisable to not waste time on finding the lowest cost. You must go ahead with the treatment at the nearest good hospital where a qualified gynaecologist is available. The things to be kept in mind is preservation of the fallopian tubes during the course of the treatment so that the chances of future pregnancy are not scuttled. A good gynaecologist at a decent maternity centre is trained to handle ectopic pregnancy. However in some cases where the health of the pregnant woman is otherwise precarious a multi specialty hospital would be a better choice. Other complications in the health of the female are better handled at a multi-specialty hospital.
Dr Amita Shah is one of the leading gynaecologist in Gurgaon who takes care of any case of ectopic pregnancy. Once the ultrasound test confirms ectopic pregnancy then immediate treatment whether medical or surgical is provided. Follow up with the gynaecologist is extremely important to make sure that the products of conception are cleared and there is no problem in subsequent pregnancies.
