Taking a pregnancy test and finding it is positive is a joyous moment for every couple. While many are lucky to welcome a baby after nine months, others aren’t. Their happiness is often short-lived. That’s because the fertilized egg or zygote doesn’t attach to the uterus. Such a pregnancy is called an ectopic pregnancy.
A recent feature by the JAMA Network reveals that about 2% of all pregnancies are ectopic. An ectopic pregnancy can never result in a healthy pregnancy. Instead, it can lead to the rupturing of the fallopian tubes and endanger the mother’s life. That is why you should seek medical attention immediately.
While there is no way to prevent an ectopic pregnancy, knowing the causes can help you reduce your risk of developing it. Here, we’ll discuss some causes of an ectopic pregnancy.
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What is Ectopic Pregnancy?
An ectopic pregnancy, also known as extrauterine pregnancy, happens outside your uterus. In this pregnancy, a fertilized egg attaches itself to tissues outside the uterus, most commonly in a fallopian tube, also known as the oviduct or uterine tube. A pair of hollow, muscular ducts connecting the uterus and ovaries are called fallopian tubes.
As the pregnancy progresses, the oviducts might rupture. This rupturing of uterine tubes results in life-threatening internal bleeding in the pregnant woman.
Though rare, an ectopic pregnancy can also occur in the cervix, abdominal cavity, or ovary. Bear in mind that extrauterine pregnancies cannot be continued. That’s because a fertilized egg is supposed to implant in the uterus, where it can develop into a fetus.
The signs of an ectopic pregnancy are similar to that of a regular pregnancy. You might experience fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and mood swings in the early days.
Causes of Ectopic Pregnancy
The exact reason behind ectopic pregnancies hasn’t been identified yet. However, you could have an ectopic pregnancy due to the following:
1. Maternal Age
While any woman can have an ectopic pregnancy, the risk is exceptionally high among those aged 35 or above. This claim is backed by a recent NIH review, Clinical Outcomes in High-Risk Pregnancies Due to Advanced Maternal Age. Researchers have found that maternal age of ≥35 years is linked with a four to eight-fold increased risk of extrauterine pregnancy.
The elevated risk of ectopic pregnancy observed in older groups of women is unlikely to be caused because of chromosomal abnormalities in the trophoblastic tissue. A handful of researchers attribute the risk to factors related to age. This includes major gonococcal and chlamydial epidemics and possible tubal scarring from PID.
2. Intrauterine Device
A small T-shaped device placed inside the womb or the uterus is known as an intrauterine device (IUT). This plastic and copper device is effective at preventing pregnancy in the womb but not the fallopian tube. That means inserting an IUD in your uterus could increase your risk of ectopic pregnancy.
There is little understanding of how implantation occurs outside the uterus. However, it is believed that IUD-induced inflammation results in the deciliation of endosalpinx, which delays ovum transfer, resulting in extrauterine pregnancy.
The Paragard IUD deserves mention in this context because it has been under fire for all wrong reasons. Severe complications have been reported by women who got Paragard’s IUD implanted in their uterus.
Injuries due to the device splintering or fracturing during removal have been reported. Internal bleeding, organ damage, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), perforation of the uterus lining, and pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) are a few potential injuries women could experience due to the fracture of Paragard’s IUD, notes TorHoerman Law.
The manufacturer of Paragard, Teva Pharmaceuticals, has been sued by numerous women. In the Paragard lawsuit, plaintiffs allege that the manufacturer failed to warn them that the device could break or fracture during removal.
As far as payout is concerned, lawyers estimate that each client could receive anywhere between $10,000 and $400,000.
3. Cigarette Smoking
Early research links smoking with an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Exposure to cotinine, an alkaloid found in tobacco, increases PROKR1, a protein in the fallopian tube. This protein increases the risk of a zygote being implanted outside the uterus. PROKR1 is instrumental in helping pregnancies implant inside the womb.
As cigarette smoking boosts this protein in the fallopian tubes, the risk of egg implanting outside the womb increases. Therefore, the risk of a pregnancy being ectopic becomes high.
To wrap things up, ectopic pregnancy is rare but a serious condition. It deserves immediate attention, or it can cause life-threatening bleeding.
Preventing ectopic pregnancy isn’t possible, but you can reduce your risk by using oral or injectable contraceptives, quitting smoking, and avoiding high-risk activities. In addition, being well-informed about the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy can help you recognize it in the early stages. That way, you can seek timely medical attention.
