Ectopic pregnancy how long to wait to try again

In addition this may be the first time you have heard of this condition and you may also feel shocked, confused and anxious about the future. The very early pregnancy normally spends four to five days in the fallopian tube before travelling to the cavity of the uterus where it implants around six to seven days after fertilisation.

Any damage to the fallopian tube can cause a blockage or narrowing. Hormonal imbalance, malfunction of the uterus and tube, and infection can all impair the tubes normal function and result in ectopic pregnancy.

Some women are at an increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy such as those:. If an ultrasound scan shows an empty uterus but the pregnancy test is positive the possibilities are:. The ectopic pregnancy may appear as a small pregnancy sac outside the uterus or as a mass. However, you may not see evidence of the pregnancy location on a scan. In such cases repeated blood tests are done to measure the pregnancy hormone levels. In ectopic pregnancy the levels are usually lower and rise more slowly.

Although this has been tried, it has never been done successfully. Because the egg has implanted in the wrong place, often the baby isn't able to progress normally. Sometimes, an ectopic pregnancy is absorbed and there are minimal or no symptoms like pain or bleeding. Nothing needs to be done in these circumstances except to ensure that the pregnancy hormone levels quickly return to normal. Sometimes medicine is used to dissolve the early ectopic pregnancy.

Sometimes, an operation is required. You will find some more detailed information regarding these management options below. Expectant management is increasingly common. It means that you are observed closely and the ectopic pregnancy given the opportunity to resolve without treatment. If monitored correctly, this is not dangerous as not all ectopic pregnancies will cause bleeding in the abdomen.

Some ectopic pregnancies do not rupture and they clear without treatment. The pregnancy often dies in a way similar to a miscarriage, but it is absorbed, and there is minimal pain or bleeding.

In these circumstances, nothing further needs to be done. A "wait and see" approach is a safe and appropriate way to manage your ectopic pregnancy if:. You will, however, need close follow-up as there is still a very remote chance that the ectopic pregnancy may cause the fallopian tube to rupture and bleed.

Being managed with no treatment can feel quite scary but we are giving your body the best chance to resolve this naturally. If we have suggested this method of treatment, then there is an almost 90 per cent chance that the ectopic pregnancy will resolve all by itself.

You will be given some request forms for blood tests to measure your pregnancy hormone levels over the next week. We will phone you after each blood test to let you know the results. You may also require a further scan. We will let you know the specific follow-up plan for you. Please ask us if any of this information does not make sense to you.

You should expect a small amount of bleeding. It is a chemotherapy drug which stops the pregnancy from growing. Only a small dose is used so it is extremely unlikely that you will lose your hair or experience any of the other side effects often associated with chemotherapy. Until recently, the only treatment that was widely available for ectopic pregnancy was an operation.

Although this is a relatively new treatment it has been used for about 10 years , it is one which has been found to be safe. It has the obvious advantage of not needing an open operation or even key-hole surgery, which commonly requires a hospital stay of a day or two and recovery time afterwards. Studies that look at how successful a subsequent pregnancy is following this treatment, have found that it is at least as good as following surgery and sometimes better.

Surgery can cause scarring around the tube, and it may be that avoiding this is the reason why future pregnancies may be more likely to be successful after medical treatment. Methotrexate is given by a single injection in the arm. In certain situations, an infusion via a drip into the vein may be required.

This is done over one to two days and a short stay in hospital is required. The doctor will discuss with you which treatment option is best in your individual situation.

We will then need to check the pregnancy hormone levels, as before, to ensure that they fall appropriately.

This will mean several blood tests over the following month. Most women require only one injection or infusion, but very occasionally two may be necessary.

You may notice some mild abdominal pain after the treatment, though if you do, this should not be severe. Other occasional side effects affecting up to 15 percent of women include nausea, vomiting, indigestion, mouth ulcers, sensitivity to light, or feelings of fatigue.

Very rarely it can affect the liver or blood counts, but this really is unusual if it does occur and should only last a short time.

Generally your chances of having a successful pregnancy in the future are at least as good following medical management as compared to surgical management. Pregnancies following completion of methotrexate therapy are not associated with increased abnormalities, miscarriages or other pregnancy complications. However, you will need to avoid pregnancy for four months after treatment because of the possible effects on the developing baby.

The pregnancy hormone levels frequently rise in the first few days and will then start to drop, it will take between three to five weeks to fall to normal levels. An operation is one way of treating an ectopic pregnancy. In some circumstances this may be the only choice available to you. The operation is performed under a general anaesthetic. In this procedure the surgeon usually makes three small incisions in your abdomen—one inside your belly button and one or two lower incisions lower down on your abdomen.

A small telescope is inserted through the hole in your belly button to allow the surgeon to see what they are doing. If an ectopic pregnancy is confirmed usually the tube is removed.

We encourage any potential patients to learn more about our team, our medical specialties, and how we can help you. We also encourage those interested in fertility treatment to view our program overview to find the right fit for your conception, fertilization, and pregnancy needs. Alabama Fertility Update. You can have a successful pregnancy after an ectopic pregnancy.

Ectopic Pregnancy: The Diagnosis and Treatment Options Most pregnancies implant inside the uterine cavity, however, occasionally they implant outside the endometrium inside of the uterus which is called an ectopic pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy? There are two primary treatment options for ectopic pregnancies: medication or surgery. Finding the Right Fertility Specialist after an Ectopic Pregnancy A couple of things to keep in mind when considering getting pregnant after an ectopic pregnancy are first, that most doctors advise women to wait around 3 months to conceive if you received methotrexate injections.

Learn more about conceiving after ectopic pregnancy from Alabama Fertility in Birmingham, AL At Alabama Fertility Specialists , we treat all patients with the care and compassion that complex reproductive issues require.

We naturally assume that we will ovulate from alternative ovaries each month left ovary, right ovary, left, right etc. This is not true and varies. Some will ovulate from the same side each month with an occasional ovulation from the other side, while others will ovulate randomly from side to side.

It depends on which ovary contains the egg that is at the right stage of development at the point in time at the time of ovulation and is nothing to do with a set pattern. The side we ovulate from does not strictly matter as an egg from one ovary can travel down the Fallopian tube on the other side. The menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days for most and ovulation usually happens 10 to 16 days before the start of your next period.

Physical signs of ovulation include an increase in vaginal discharge. This changes from white, creamy or non-existent to clear, stretchy and slippery like egg-white consistency when you ovulate.

The Fallopian tubes are not attached to the ovaries and, at the point of ovulation, some very delicate structures called the fimbriae on the end of the Fallopian tube begin to move gently drawing the egg toward the end of the Fallopian tube like lots of little fingers waving and drawing the egg towards it. The DNA that makes up the strands for hCG, which is the hormone associated with pregnancy, is only one strand different to the luteinising hormone LH which detects ovulation.

Both hormones, at a molecular level, are nearly identical. This means that it is possible for an OPK to detect pregnancy, although this is not always reliable. It is not, however, possible to use an HPT to detect ovulation. Using a mobile computing app to track menstrual cycles and the fertile window is becoming increasingly popular while trying to conceive and may be suitable for some people.

A study looked at various apps that are used to track the menstrual cycle and analysed whether they helped influence chances of conception. Alcohol affects fertility by disrupting the delicate balance of the menstrual cycle. Clinical research data suggests that women, who drank socially, drinks per week, were at a greater risk of decreased fertility when compared to women who remained abstinent.

These findings underscore the importance of remaining abstinent while attempting to conceive. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence NICE looks at the available evidence on the best way of treating or managing a condition and makes recommendations based on evidence. Current NICE guidance states:. Research also suggests that alcohol disrupts the hormonal imbalance of the female reproductive system, leading to menstrual irregularities, and even anovulatory cycles menstrual cycles where ovulation fails to occur.

These changes can drastically decrease the chances of becoming pregnant and thus affect fertility. The NHS website provides information on drinking alcohol while pregnant and states that the safest approach is not to drink while pregnant.

It can be hard to stop smoking cigarettes but if you are thinking of trying to conceive, this is one of the best things that you can do. Evidence shows that smoking impacts both male and female fertility. Stopping smoking will improve your general health. Smoking is also likely to reduce fertility. Research from Edinburgh University has found that a chemical found in cigarette smoke Cotinine triggers a reaction which increases a protein in the Fallopian tubes.

This protein, called PROKR1 raises the risk of an egg implanting outside the womb, leading to an ectopic pregnancy. Having regular sexual intercourse is a good way to approach future conception. The EPT is a charity that has the backing of medical specialists and prides itself in providing accurate, research-based medical information.

While we understand that many people are interested in the use of alternative and complementary therapies, we do not endorse these on our site.

We, therefore, remind you that, should you wish to make use of these therapies, you exercise caution and avoid recommending them to users of the EPT forums. Many complementary medicines are powerful and can have harmful side effects if misused. They may also interact with medicines that you may already be taking or intend to take. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous people who have no issues with making money from vulnerable groups of people like those who are trying to conceive or who have suffered a loss , making claims that cannot be substantiated about products and services they aim to supply.

Please do be aware of this and seek guidance and or alternative treatment only from appropriately qualified and registered individuals. Sadly, there are no tests or investigations that can be done to assure you that you will not experience an ectopic pregnancy again. Ectopic pregnancy occurs because of some underlying damage to a Fallopian tube and the cause of this damage may never be established. Assisted reproductive techniques, like IVF treatment where the embryo is placed in the uterus, can also result in an ectopic pregnancy and unfortunately so is not a guaranteed way of ensuring it will never happen again.

Doctors would usually want you to wait to try again for three months, after which, your doctor will probably encourage you to try again for 12 months if you are less than 35 or 6 months if you are over Only if you do not conceive within those times would they then consider further tests and investigations.

The exception to this might be if the surgeon saw something during the surgical procedure to resolve your ectopic pregnancy that they felt warranted further investigation more quickly. If you feel that you may have ongoing problems of pelvic infection, you can take a chlamydia test. Chlamydia is usually symptomless and if left untreated, the infection can spread to other parts of your body and lead to long-term health problems, such as pelvic inflammatory disease PID and infertility.

Testing for and taking antibiotic treatment if required might help to reduce the risk of these problems. A tubal patency test might be available if you have been trying to conceive for a year and are not pregnant if you are under the age of 35, or six months if you are over the age of You should visit your health care provider to discuss this.

Hysterosalpingography HIS-tur-oh-sal-ping-GOG-ru-fee or HSG test is a procedure to investigate the shape of the uterine cavity and the shape and patency the state of not being blocked or obstructed of the Fallopian tubes. Sometimes it happens when there's a problem with the fallopian tubes, such as them being narrow or blocked.

You can't always prevent an ectopic pregnancy, but you can reduce your risk by using a condom when not trying for a baby to protect yourself against STIs, and by stopping smoking if you smoke. Page last reviewed: 27 November Next review due: 27 November Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy doesn't always cause symptoms and may only be detected during a routine pregnancy scan.

If you do have symptoms, they tend to develop between the 4th and 12th week of pregnancy. Symptoms can include a combination of: a missed period and other signs of pregnancy tummy pain low down on 1 side vaginal bleeding or a brown watery discharge pain in the tip of your shoulder discomfort when peeing or pooing But these symptoms aren't necessarily a sign of a serious problem. When to get medical advice Contact your GP or call NHS if you have a combination of any of the above symptoms and you might be pregnant — even if you haven't had a positive pregnancy test.

An ectopic pregnancy can be serious, so it's important to get advice right away. Read more about ectopic pregnancy tests. How an ectopic pregnancy is treated There are 3 main treatments for an ectopic pregnancy: expectant management — you're carefully monitored and 1 of the treatments below is used if the fertilised egg doesn't dissolve by itself medication — an injection of a powerful medicine called methotrexate is used to stop the pregnancy growing surgery — keyhole surgery laparoscopy is performed under general anaesthetic to remove the fertilised egg, usually along with the affected fallopian tube You'll be told about the benefits and risks of each option.

Help and support after an ectopic pregnancy Losing a pregnancy can be devastating, and many women feel the same sense of grief as if they had lost a family member or partner. Support groups for people who have been affected by loss of a pregnancy can also help.