Patient's question:
I am pregnant, but I haven't had time to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up yet. My mom said the fetus is still too small, and even an ultrasound at the hospital won't be able to detect it. She told me to wait a bit longer before going. But I feel so sad. My friend is also pregnant, but she has an ectopic pregnancy and needs surgery. How can I tell if it's an ectopic pregnancy?Doctor's answer:
Because you are currently in the early stages of pregnancy, if the pregnancy has not yet reached less than 35 days, it is not possible to see the gestational sac through ultrasound. Therefore, it is also impossible to determine if it is an ectopic pregnancy. If you have confirmed that you are pregnant, you can go to the hospital to check human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and progesterone. If hCG levels double within 48 hours, it is generally unlikely to have an ectopic pregnancy.