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National Institutes of Health
Ectopic Pregnancy
The uterus, or womb, is an important female reproductive organ. It is the place where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. If you have an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg grows in an abnormal place, outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes. The result is usually a miscarriage.
Ectopic pregnancy can be a medical emergency if it ruptures. Signs of ectopic pregnancy include
- Abdominal pain
- Shoulder pain
- Vaginal bleeding
- Feeling dizzy or faint
Get medical care right away if you have these signs. Doctors use drugs or surgery to remove the ectopic tissue so it doesn't damage your organs. Many women who have had ectopic pregnancies go on to have healthy pregnancies later.
Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health
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Start Here
- Ectopic Pregnancy(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Ectopic Pregnancy(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
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Overviews
- Ectopic Pregnancy(American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
- Ectopic Pregnancy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Ectopic Pregnancy(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Abnormal Uterine Bleeding(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- hCG Test (Pregnancy Test)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Obstetrical Ultrasound(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
- Progesterone Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Treatment
- Dilation and Curettage(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
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Dilation and Curettage
(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Coping
- Pregnancy Loss: How to Cope(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Specific Conditions
- Female Sterilization: Risk of Ectopic Pregnancy After Tubal Sterilization(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Related Issues
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Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Cancer(National Cancer Institute)
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- What Is the Risk for a Second Ectopic Pregnancy?(Nemours Foundation)
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Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Cancer
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Tutorials
- Dilation and Curettage(Patient Education Institute)
- Also available in Spanish
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, Ectopic(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, Tubal(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, Ectopic
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Research
- Hormone May Help Predict Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy(Endocrine Society)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Directories
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
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Organizations
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Teenagers
- Ectopic/Tubal Pregnancy(Children's Hospital Boston)
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Patient Handouts
- D and C
- Also available in Spanish
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Also available in Spanish
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