Treatments for Ectopic Pregnancy
Treatments for ectopic pregnancy vary according to your personal medical requirements and circumstances. Unfortunately, once an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed it needs to be removed. It is not possible to remove the foetus and implant it in the womb.
The following treatments are what may happen:
• Expectant Management - some ectopic pregnancies end naturally and are reabsorbed back into the womb before causing any rupturing of the fallopian tube. If hCG levels are declining and you have no other symptoms, this may be the most likely outcome.
• Medical Treatment - You will receive an injection of methotrexate, a medicine which stops the foetal cells dividing and causes the pregnancy to shrink away. Although this is the least invasive method of treating ectopic pregnancy very few ectopic pregnancies can be treated by this method. Measurements will be taken to determine the diameter of the foetus and the levels of hCG. Further scans and blood tests will be also be required afterwards.
• Laparoscopy - keyhole surgery will allow the surgeon to either open the tube to remove the pregnancy, known as salpingotomy or to remove the tube containing the pregnancy completely, known as salpingectomy. Again, follow up blood tests and scans will be likely as sometimes persistant ectopic tissue can occur.
• Laparatomy - open surgery will be performed requiring a small incision just above the pubic hairline. The affected tube will be taken outside the body and again, either the pregnancy will be removed from the tube before replacing the tube back inside the body, or the tube and pregnancy will both be removed altogether.
Related Articles
Diagnosis of Ectopic Pregnancy
Pregnancy after Ectopic Pregnancy
Further Information
