Patient's question:
In June 2018, I had a history of ectopic pregnancy. This February, my period should have come on the 4th, but it was delayed by a few days. Then, I took early pregnancy tests for three consecutive days, and all the tests showed one dark and one faint line! The blood HCG value was 81. Two days later, I had an ultrasound, but no gestational sac was visible. The doctor said I was 38 weeks pregnant, but it might be too small to see. The blood HCG value was over 200! Six days later, I had another ultrasound, and the doctor asked me to be hospitalized, saying it was an ectopic pregnancy!Doctor's answer:
Early ectopic pregnancy is often characterized by incomplete embryo development, resulting in subtle early symptoms that are nearly identical to those of normal pregnancy. These include missed periods, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, fatigue, or breast tenderness. However, early ectopic pregnancy may cause unilateral lower abdominal pain due to the implantation of the fertilized egg outside the uterus. Under normal circumstances, the fertilized egg should implant within the uterine cavity. If the embryo implants in a location outside the uterus, it is considered ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy most commonly occurs in the fallopian tubes. When the fallopian tubes are not fully (patent), the fertilized egg may develop within them, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bleeding, or even shock.