What are the signs of an ectopic pregnancy? Does the test stick up 2 lines?

The article was professionally consulted by a Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

An ectopic pregnancy is an extremely dangerous obstetric condition that threatens the fertility as well as the life of the pregnant woman. Recognizing signs of ectopic pregnancy for timely examination and treatment is the best way to protect the health of pregnant women.

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that does not implant in the uterus, but is located outside. Possible implantation sites of ectopic pregnancy include:
The pregnancy is located in the fallopian tube. This is the most common case of ectopic pregnancy (accounting for 95%) The pregnancy is located in the ovaries, cervix, abdomen, and fallopian tubes.

An ectopic pregnancy is not protected by the uterus. A ruptured gestational sac will cause massive bleeding into the abdomen, endangering the mother's life.
Cause of ectopic pregnancy is due to inflammation of the fallopian tubes, pelvic inflammatory disease or due to defects in the fallopian tubes, narrowing of the fallopian tubes. Women with ovarian cysts, have had an abortion, and have sexually transmitted diseases have a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy than the general population.

People with ectopic pregnancy also have signs like normal pregnant women such as: missed period, abdominal pain, nausea, breast tenderness... However, in some signs, there are unusual warning signs. usually you need to pay attention.

Signs of ectopic pregnancy include:
Late period : A missed period is a sign that any pregnant woman has. However, many women with ectopic pregnancy often have irregular periods, some months are early, some months are late, so it is difficult to recognize this sign. Abnormal vaginal bleeding: If you notice a little bit of pink blood in your underwear, but not during your period, you may be pregnant. However, in an ectopic pregnancy, this bleeding is prolonged, the blood is dark red. There are only a few cases of ectopic pregnancy with no signs of abnormal bleeding. Many women mistake this bleeding for menstruation, especially when bleeding coincides with menstruation. It is necessary to carefully distinguish whether the color of the blood, the amount of bleeding, the thickness and the consistency of the blood is different from the previous menstrual periods.
Abdominal pain: When you have an ectopic pregnancy, you will feel abdominal pain at the implantation site, lower abdominal pain. Many people also have abdominal pain that feels like constipation. Abdominal pain persists, dull ache, sometimes severe pain with vaginal bleeding. The degree of abdominal pain will gradually increase over time as the ectopic pregnancy develops. In case of rupture of the gestational sac, you will feel severe abdominal pain, continuous cramping pain, shoulder pain, sweating, weak limbs, dizziness, dizziness, difficulty breathing, even fainting. Therefore, when you see the signs of an ectopic pregnancy, you need to go to the hospital immediately for the doctor to check and conduct treatment. If left for a long time, the fetus will grow bigger and bigger, the ruptured gestational sac will cause the color to overflow the abdomen, potentially causing infertility, and endangering the life of the mother.

Pregnancy test strips work based on the concentration of the hormone HCG in the urine, regardless of the location of the implantation sac. It is only necessary to become pregnant that a woman's urine already contains this hormone. Therefore, ectopic pregnancy test still up 2 lines. However, the level of HCG hormone in women with ectopic pregnancy will show signs of decreasing. Therefore, in the case of an ectopic pregnancy, the second line will appear faint when taking a pregnancy test.
As soon as they know they are pregnant, women need to go for an ultrasound to check whether the pregnancy has entered the uterus or not. In case the pregnancy week is not enough for the pregnancy to enter the uterus, the doctor will make an appointment for you to check in 1-2 weeks. If the doctor suspects an ectopic pregnancy, the doctor will perform a transvaginal transvaginal ultrasound to locate the gestational sac. In addition, you can also detect the pregnancy status through laparoscopy and measure the level of HCG in the blood.

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy include:
History of ectopic pregnancy History of fallopian tube surgery, previous abdominal and pelvic surgery Pelvic inflammatory disease Certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Other factors can increase a woman's risk of an ectopic pregnancy:
Smoking Age over 35 Infertility Assisted Reproductive Measures How to treat an ectopic pregnancy:
No ectopic pregnancy can move or be moved to the uterus, there are basic methods of treatment:
Drugs Surgery Monitor the natural progression of the ectopic pregnancy. Not all ectopic pregnancies require surgery. If detected early, the pregnancy mass has not broken, small size, the doctor will prescribe injections to help the fetus dissolve. If the fetus is large (usually over 3cm) it will be laparoscopic or open surgery. The choice of treatment method depends on each individual case. Pregnant women need to see a doctor to be checked under the supervision of a doctor.
To avoid having an ectopic pregnancy, you should have a pre-pregnancy screening. This helps you to know your health status, promptly treat and prevent the risk of diseases if any, supplement the necessary nutrients, create the best conditions for the fetus to develop right from the time of birth. Preparing for pregnancy, helping to identify genetic-related risk factors, especially in cases where the parents are suffering from obstetric and gynecological diseases, chronic diseases, have been pregnant or gave birth to a malformed child. natural.
Vinmec International General Hospital is implementing a pre-pregnancy health care and counseling program to help mothers prepare for the best health before pregnancy. With this program, you will receive:
General health examination, especially gynecological examination, to help assess the possibility of conception as well as the health of mother and baby during pregnancy. Vaccination before pregnancy, helps prevent many dangerous diseases, especially Rubella. Genetic counseling helps identify risk factors, helps clients and families make decisions, and prevents occurrence or re-emergence in the family. Screening detects healthy people carrying disease genes, especially hemolytic anemia. If you have a need for medical examination and advice before pregnancy, please book an appointment directly at the website for service.