An ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency where a fertilised egg grows outside the uterus. Early intervention is crucial to reduce complications and protect the chance of future healthy pregnancies. Dr. Lida Anwari, a renowned gynaecologist and fetal medicine consultant in Dubai, is dedicated to exceptional, patient-centred care.
Book a Consultation WhatsApp UsFrom the initial fertilisation to the final delivery, pregnant women go through different steps. Fertilisation is the first step, where a fertilised egg travels to the uterus and attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilised egg doesn't attach to the uterus and mainly grows outside it.
If the fertilised egg ruptures, it causes life-threatening bleeding. Early intervention and ectopic pregnancy treatment are therefore crucial to reduce further complications and increase the chance of future healthy pregnancies.
When it comes to women's health, Dr. Lida Anwari is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care. As a renowned gynaecologist and fetal medicine consultant in Dubai, she specialises in the routine care of the female reproductive system while addressing high-risk pregnancies and fetal abnormalities.
Ectopic pregnancies are classified by where the fertilised egg implants. Each type carries its own risks and requires a tailored treatment approach.
The fertilised egg implants in a fallopian tube. This is by far the most common type of ectopic pregnancy.
A rarer form where the egg implants on or within the ovary itself, rather than the fallopian tube.
The egg implants within the abdominal cavity, outside the reproductive organs entirely.
Implantation occurs in the part of the fallopian tube that passes through the uterine wall.
The egg implants in the scar tissue from a previous cesarean delivery, requiring specialised management.
Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants outside the uterus — instead attaching to the fallopian tube, cervix, or abdominal cavity. It's impossible to continue the pregnancy because only the uterus is capable of carrying a pregnancy.
Sometimes, an ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening if the fallopian tube ruptures. A ruptured ectopic pregnancy causes severe infection and bleeding, which is why ectopic pregnancy treatment is a medical emergency.
The causes are mostly unknown, but one reason could be damaged fallopian tubes, which prevent fertilised eggs from entering the uterus. Other causes linked with ectopic pregnancy include:
Some symptoms are common to both uterine and ectopic pregnancies. Additional symptoms may indicate a medical emergency:
If these symptoms persist, you require immediate ectopic pregnancy treatment from a renowned fetal medicine consultant such as Dr. Lida Anwari.
High HCG levels usually confirm your pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, the levels increase every 48 to 72 hours. But in an ectopic pregnancy, HCG levels may rise very slowly, plateau, or even decline. HCG levels are not a sole diagnostic technique; the doctor also implements an ultrasound scan and other blood tests to confirm an ectopic pregnancy.
A fertilised egg cannot grow normally outside the uterus, so treatment aims to protect the mother's life by removing the pregnancy from the fallopian tube. Options include:
If you have mild symptoms or the pregnancy is small, it is closely monitored to check whether it will dissolve on its own. You undergo regular blood tests to check HCG levels — if they don't go down or if they increase, further treatment is needed. You may experience vaginal bleeding, and if you feel tummy pain the doctor recommends paracetamol for pain relief. The treatment option is eventually changed if more severe symptoms develop.
Methotrexate is a medicine that stops the pregnancy from growing further. It is given as a single injection. The doctor recommends further blood tests to confirm the medicine's effect. If the medicine doesn't work, you may require a second dose or surgery.
Keyhole or laparoscopic procedures are carried out to remove the ectopic pregnancy. A tiny incision is made on the abdomen or near the navel, and a thin tube with a light camera is inserted to view the fallopian tube and ectopic pregnancy. In a salpingostomy, the tube is left to heal on its own after removing the pregnancy; in a salpingectomy, both the pregnancy and the tube are removed. The procedure depends on the amount of bleeding and signs of damaged fallopian tubes.
If you experience heavy bleeding, you need emergency surgery to remove the ectopic pregnancy. The procedure is done laparoscopically or through laparotomy. In a few cases, fallopian tubes can be saved; however, a ruptured tube has to be removed.
Most women have no early symptoms of ectopic pregnancy, but consulting a fetal medicine consultant in the initial phase of pregnancy reduces the complications associated with it. Using ultrasound techniques, Dr. Lida locates the ectopic pregnancy and identifies the site of implantation, then offers the safest approach to remove and manage it. She provides detailed counselling on the risks to maternal health and emotional support to overcome pregnancy loss. Women with a history of ectopic pregnancy have a chance of recurrence, but Dr. Lida ensures early monitoring and a plan for subsequent healthy pregnancies.
Choosing a fetal medicine consultant means Dr. Lida can:
No, the baby can't grow or survive outside the uterus. It always results in ectopic pregnancy and pregnancy loss. This is because fertilised eggs don't get enough blood supply to grow outside the uterus.
You're more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy if you smoke, are older than 35 years, have a scar from a previous injury, or have had a previous ectopic pregnancy, among other factors.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue lining your uterus grows outside the uterus. It usually develops in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or tissue lining the pelvis. Scarring from such conditions prevents fertilised eggs from reaching the uterus and results in ectopic pregnancy.
Dr. Lida delivers babies at Saudi German Hospital and Trellis Hospital in Dubai — both equipped for routine and high-risk deliveries with dedicated maternity and neonatal support, and covered by most major health insurance plans.
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