Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterine cavity, usually in the fallopian tube, causing an unviable pregnancy. When an ectopic pregnancy does occur it is not possible to detect improper implantation of the fertilized egg right away. When treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is not provided the fetus may grow so large that it will rupture the fallopian tube. This injury can cause internal bleeding, infection and in some cases lead to the death of the mother. When treating a ruptured fallopian tube due to an ectopic pregnancy emergency surgery must be done to immediately stop the internal bleeding and to remove the nonviable fetus. In some cases the fallopian tube can be repaired but in most cases it can not leaving the woman with only one fallopian tube. Once an ectopic pregnancy is treated women often bleed heavily for a few weeks post treatment but often make a full recovery.