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An ectopic pregnancy is one that develops outside the uterus. Most ectopics are found in the fallopian tube and these are called tubal pregnancies. However, they can also occur at other pelvic sites which include the ovary the abdomen and the cervix.
Fertilization normally occurs in the outer half of the fallopian tube that is called the ampulla. The embryo is then propelled along the fallopian tube, by the coordinated beating of the cilia that line the tube, towards the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the embryo gets stuck in the fallopian tube and is implanted here, instead of moving on to the uterus.
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Ectopic pregnancy occurs once in every one hundred pregnancies. The commonest cause of a tubal pregnancy is tubal damage, which is most often due to pelvic inflammatory disease. If tubal damage is severe, the tube gets totally blocked, as a result of which the patient becomes infertile. However, in the case of less severe infection, the tube remains open, but the tubal lining is damaged, as a result of which the cilia can no longer function effectively.
Fig 1. Schematic of unruptured ectopic pregnancy in right fallopian tube
© Dr. Aniruddha Malpani and Dr. Anjali Malpani www.drmalpani.com
Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility
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