And more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy as early diagnosis and treatment are critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common ectopic pregnancy symptoms after IVF can include<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to note that you may or may not have symptoms at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may not have any symptoms depending on how early the ectopic pregnancy is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ectopics occurs in approximately 1-2% of all pregnancies after natural conception, and about 2-5% of all pregnancies following IVF. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Common risk factors include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants itself outside the uterus and develops in another location, usually the fallopian tubes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In IVF, your embryo is transferred into your uterus by using a small flexible catheter. This is usually done under ultrasound guidance, which means your doctor can see where in the uterus the transfer is occurring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, the embryo can migrate its way from the uterine cavity and into the fallopian tube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One study found that patients with tubal damage were more likely to suffer an ectopic pregnancy after embryo transfer compared to those without such damage.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The earliest you can suspect<\/strong> an ectopic pregnancy after IVF is at approximately 5 weeks gestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, you need to see an abnormally rising b-hCG (beta- human chorionic gonadotropin hormone) on at least two separate blood tests. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The earliest you can see an abnormal rise is between weeks 4 and weeks 5 of gestation (which is 2 weeks following your embryo transfer).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on your levels of b-hCG, a transvaginal ultrasound may be performed at approximately 6 weeks gestation to look for the location of the pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you develop concerning symptoms, the ultrasound scan can be performed sooner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is, we always keep a very close eye on anyone undergoing fertility treatment in an effort to catch an ectopic as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it is important to know that neither of these things confirms an ectopic pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy can only be made with one of two methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n They are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of these things is necessary to diagnose an extrauterine pregnancy with certainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, both of these can occur as early as 6-7 weeks of gestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no set b-hCG level that raises concern for an ectopic pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What we look for is the trend. In general, we like to see the b-hCG level rising at a rate of ~50-100% every 48 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A doubling of the b-hCG every 48 hours is a very good sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A b-hCG level that is rising at around 20-30%, or even slightly slower can raise concern for an ectopic pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your fertility doctor will look at this trend closely and help you make decisions quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid an ectopic pregnancy completely. If you have any underlying fallopian tube damage, you are at higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy to occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Approximately 95% of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is called a tubal ectopic pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The remaining 5% develop in other locations in the abdomen\/pelvis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If an ectopic pregnancy is caught at the very early stages, there is a good chance that there will be no damage to the fallopian tube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If left untreated, an ectopic pregnancy could continue growing until it ruptures the fallopian tube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that said, a tubal pregnancy often indicates that there may already be some abnormality in the tube that led to the ectopic in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A ruptured ectopic pregnancy is an absolute medical emergency<\/strong> as the rupture leads to internal bleeding which can lead to hemorrhage and shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to the heavy amount of internal bleeding that can occur, ruptured ectopics always require emergency surgery.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In these situations, your fallopian tube is removed through a small incision in order to control the bleeding. This type of surgery is called a laparoscopic salpingectomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"ectopic-pregnancy-after](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ectopic-pregnancy-ivf-symptoms.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\nSymptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy Following IVF<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Is ectopic pregnancy common in IVF?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How does It Occur?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"picture](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/fallopian-tube-ectopic-pregnancy.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow Soon Can You Detect An Ectopic Pregnancy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The only two ways of diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What b-hCG levels raise concern for an ectopic?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can It be avoided?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What percentage of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The different types of ectopic pregnancies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"types-of-ectopic-pregnancies](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/types-of-ectopic-pregnancy.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDoes an ectopic pregnancy damage the fallopian tube?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What happens if your fallopian tube ruptures?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Early-Pregnancy-ultrasound.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"alex](\"https:\/\/alexroblesmd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/alex-robles-md.jpeg\")
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