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What leads to Ectopic pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy is one of the most painful experiences for expectant parents to go through. After being given a glimpse of a future filled with parenthood, and coming to terms with the life changes that a baby brings, an ectopic pregnancy can be heartbreaking, making expectant parents feel like their dream was snatched away. As there’s no ectopic pregnancy treatment to save the pregnancy regardless of the circumstances, the only option is to end the pregnancy or monitor it until miscarriage, which causes emotional pain to the parents, making them often doubt themselves. A major question that they find themselves asking while dealing with their condition is ‘what causes an ectopic pregnancy?’ Though it may seem otherwise, an ectopic pregnancy is majorly caused due to medical reasons that are out of the hands of the parents.

What is an ectopic pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself somewhere other than the uterus. Most often, this occurs in the fallopian tube, which is not naturally designed to carry a pregnancy. Since the growth of the embryo may eventually cause the fallopian tubes to rupture or burst, the pregnancy inevitably cannot result in birth and is life-threatening to the mother. As soon as any ectopic pregnancy symptoms begin showing up and it is detected, doctors advise immediate treatment to end the pregnancy, before any complications occur. Prompt treatment that goes smoothly ensures that the mother’s health is unaffected, and future pregnancies can be healthy and successful.

What are the causes of ectopic pregnancy?

Parents going through an ectopic pregnancy often turn to search for a cause that explains their condition. Most often, it’s impossible to find the exact cause of the ectopic pregnancy. In reality, there are a number of probable ectopic pregnancy causes.

• History of ectopic pregnancies – Having gone through an ectopic pregnancy in the past may increase your chances of an ectopic pregnancy, especially if complications occurred in the past incident. However, your chances of having a healthy pregnancy are always far more than having an ectopic pregnancy, irrespective of prior history.

• Inflammation or scarring – In case of inflammation, infection, or scarring in the fallopian tubes, an ectopic pregnancy may most likely occur. Sexually transmitted diseases, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, etc. are a few of the reasons why infection or scarring may be present.

• Structural issues – Structural damage caused to the uterus or fallopian tubes due to injury, genetic defects or complications of past surgery is also known to cause ectopic pregnancy in some cases.

• IUD (Intrauterine Device) – IUDs are placed to prevent pregnancy. However, in rare cases where conception occurs, it is most likely to be an ectopic pregnancy. This is also possible after tubal surgery.

• Age – Women above the age of 35 years are more likely to undergo an ectopic pregnancy.

• Lifestyle factors – Cigarettes or drug use right before pregnancy can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy. The risk is further elevated with prolonged smoking.

When an ectopic pregnancy is treated on time, it does not impact a woman’s ability to conceive down the line. The chances of having a successful pregnancy are very good, which means that an ectopic pregnancy doesn’t mean the end of your parenthood dream. Pregnancy loss can be devastating, but it’s essential to move on and look at the bright future ahead, after giving yourself time to grieve.

Experts in the Shrikhande fertility clinic in Nagpur can help guide you through this tough time, giving you options for future success.

Tags: Ectopic pregnancy, Ectopic pregnancy in Nagpur, Fertility Clinic in Nagpur, Fertility Treatment