someone asked me about ectopic pregnancy last night, but i replied privately so i can’t remember their url. I hope the post I made was helpful to you, if you need more information please message me (:

(tubal pregnancy, cervical pregnancy, tubal ligation-ectopic pregnancy, extrauterine pregnancy)

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus, and it is life-threatening to the mother. 

In most pregnancies, the fertilized egg travels through the fallopian tube to the womb (uterus). Anything that blocks or slows the movement of this egg through these tubes can lead to ectopic pregnancy:

• Birth defect in the fallopian tubes
• Scarring after a ruptured appendix
• Endometriosis
• Having an ectopic pregnancy before
• Scarring from past infections or surgery of the abdomen

The following also increase your risk of an ectopic pregnancy:

• Age over 35
• Getting pregnant while having an intrauterine device (IUD)
• Had surgery to untie tubes (tubal sterilization) to become pregnant
• Some infertility treatments 
• Having your tubes tied (tubal ligation) - more likely 2 or more years after the procedure
• Had surgery to untie tubes in order to get pregnant

(However, sometimes we don’t know what causes it to happen. When my mother was 34 she had a tubal pregnancy, which caused her to have one of her tubes removed. Her other tube, however was scarred (from what, we don’t know) so after that she was infertile. Several factors could have caused it but which one for sure, we don’t know.)

Symptoms

You may have early pregnancy symptoms, such as breast tenderness or nausea. Other symptoms may include:

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Low back pain
• Mild cramping on one side of the pelvis
• No periods
• Pain in the lower belly or pelvic area

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

• Fainting or feel faint
• Intense pressure in the rectum
• Low blood pressure
• Pain in the shoulder area
• Severe, sharp, and sudden pain in the lower abdomen

Expectations (prognosis)

One out of three women who have had one ectopic pregnancy are later able to have a baby. Another ectopic pregnancy is more likely to occur. Some women do not become pregnant again.

The likelihood of a successful pregnancy after an ectopic pregnancy depends on:

• The woman’s age
• Whether she has already had children
• Why the first ectopic pregnancy occurred

About 1 in 10 women who have had an ectopic pregnancy will have another.

Prevention

Most forms of ectopic pregnancy that occur outside the fallopian tubes are probably not preventable. But a tubal pregnancy may be prevented in some cases by avoiding conditions that might scar the fallopian tubes. The following may reduce your risk:

• Practicing safer sex by taking steps before and during sex, which can prevent you from getting an infection
• Getting early diagnosis and treatment of all infections caused by sexual relations (STDs) 
• Stopping smoking

(source 1, source 2)