Possible complications after ectopic pregnancy

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is expertly consulted by Master, Doctor Le Nhat Nguyen - Obstetrician-Gynecology Specialist - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Ectopic pregnancy is often indicated surgery in case of late detection such as uterine rupture, causing heavy bleeding. After treatment, if you don't follow the instructions for treatment and the doctor's advice, it can cause some complications such as high fever, abdominal pain, wound bleeding, worsening of the incision condition, slowing down the recovery process. wound.

1. What is an ectopic pregnancy?

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy in the wrong place. The exact place of implantation of the fetus is in the uterine cavity. However, due to some reasons, the pregnancy mass cannot move down to the uterus, leading to implantation in other locations such as fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervical canal or other locations in the uterus. abdominal cavity, even extraperitoneal cavity. An estimated 95% of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes (55% in the lobe, 25% in the isthmus, 17% in the ampulla, and only 2% in the interstitium). Only the remaining 5% nest and grow in other locations. The fact that the fetus is not implanted in the right position causes many dangerous effects to the health, even the life of the mother.

2. How to diagnose ectopic pregnancy?

2.1 Diagnosis based on disease symptoms Symptoms that help early detection of ectopic pregnancy include:
Abdominal pain: Pain is located in the lower abdomen, the pain is dull, sometimes severe A few days late, there is little bleeding, dark brown color sometimes mixed with fluid When the ectopic pregnancy has broken, the symptoms of the disease are rampant, forcing the patient to go to the hospital for timely treatment to avoid dangerous complications. . Symptoms include:
Sudden, severe abdominal pain, causing the patient to sweat. Symptoms of acute blood loss: Blue skin, pale mucous membranes, cold limbs, rapid pulse, low blood pressure.

2.2 Diagnosis based on laboratory tests Quantitative βhCG blood: Over 60%, pregnant women have βhCG levels doubled after 48 hours. If the amount of βhCG does not increase like this, combined with ultrasound, no pregnancy in the uterus, then an ectopic pregnancy should be suspected. Serum progesterone: Progesterone levels are lower in ectopic pregnancy. If the progesterone level is < 5 ng/ml, an abnormal pregnancy is suspected. A combination of other tests is required for an accurate diagnosis. Transabdominal and vaginal ultrasound: Abnormal ultrasound results such as no amniotic sac in the uterine cavity, heterogeneous echo zone, clear boundary, small size next to the uterus. Doppler ultrasound: Ultrasound results show a ring of fire. In rare cases, a larger mass can be seen, with fetal echo and fetal heart activity outside the uterus.

3. Treatment by cesarean section surgery

There are 2 surgical methods of ectopic pregnancy:
Laparoscopic surgery: The preferred method in surgical treatment of ectopic pregnancy. The surgery has advantages such as leaving small incisions, short hospital stay and high aesthetics. In particular, it is possible to preserve the fallopian tube, which is necessary for women who still intend to have children. Open surgery: Open surgery is used for ectopic pregnancy that has ruptured, there is too much blood in the abdomen, and other causes.

4. Complications after ectopic pregnancy

High fever High fever occurs as a sign of infection. In addition, high fever is also the cause of the wound that has not yet healed, the wound has not completely healed. If the patient is accompanied by other symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, or dizziness, they should seek medical attention immediately.
Swollen incision Swollen incision accompanied by heat, redness, and pain may occur due to infection, thread loosening. This sign also leads to bleeding, causing serious consequences for the patient. Therefore, the woman needs to take care of the wound carefully, avoiding wound infection.

Abdominal pain can occur because the incision has not healed, is swollen, only causes bleeding, which is dangerous to the patient's life.
Incisional bleeding Laparoscopic incisional bleeding is a dangerous complication. If the bleeding is rapid and profuse, it can be fatal for the patient. Therefore, a woman after surgery should monitor her health regularly to detect abnormalities in order to take timely precautions until she fully recovers.

5. Care after ectopic pregnancy

After an ectopic pregnancy, a woman needs time to rest. In addition, it is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's advice including:
Do not overwork, participate in physical activities Take time to rest, relax your mind Nutritional diet, supplements Complete and combine green vegetables, fruits and foods such as eggs, fish, pork, chicken. Avoid eating some foods that are easy to cause bleeding such as ginger and some other foods such as aloe vera, green papaya, seafood. Do not drink alcohol, beer, do not use stimulants Do not have sex until the wound heals completely Comply with the doctor's prescription for treatment, do not buy drugs on your own. pregnant women detect early pregnancy complications for timely intervention. Faculty of Fetal Medicine - Vinmec International General Hospital is the first unit in the North to deploy a one-stop prenatal clinic (OSCAR) providing a comprehensive screening package for pregnant women at 12 weeks. The clinic gives quick results on the same day of examination and screening.
Faculty of Fetal Medicine has successfully implemented advanced prenatal screening methods, helping to screen for complications for pregnant women; Timely detection and intervention of some abnormalities in the fetus such as ectopic pregnancy from very early weeks of pregnancy.
Doctor Le Nhat Nguyen has more than 20 years of experience in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Formerly a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology at Gia Dinh People's Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. BS has high expertise and strength in the diagnosis and treatment of Obstetrics and Gynecology diseases. Currently a Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International Hospital Da Nang.

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