Patient's question:
How to distinguish ectopic pregnancyDoctor's answer:
Ectopic pregnancy is also known as tubal pregnancy. Common symptoms include vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain after a missed period. Blood test β-hCG rises slowly, with doubling less than 66% within 48 hours, and progesterone P < 25 ng/ml (or < 78.0 nmol/L) suggests a high possibility of ectopic pregnancy.Intrauterine early pregnancy: Vaginal ultrasound can detect the gestational sac (GS) as early as 4-5 weeks of pregnancy. The yolk sac, a marker of intrauterine pregnancy, is a bright, ring-like echo structure within the gestational sac, with an anechoic center. By week 5, the embryo can be observed, and by week 6, primitive cardiac activity can be seen. It is recommended to combine blood tests for β-hCG and progesterone levels with ultrasound results for judgment. If the gestational sac is not visible intrauterine but a mass is seen extrauterine, ectopic pregnancy should be considered.