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Did you know? |
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Pregnancy Due Date Calculator
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A Poll by Laura When did you start worrying about your fertility? |
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Helpful Tips About Ectopic Pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy is frightening and traumatic. It occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube or some place other than the uterus (though 95% of ectopics are in the fallopian tube.) This can be caused from a blockage in the tubes or damage from Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, STDs, or prior surgeries on the abdominal region of the body. I did not have any of those, however, and both my husband and I had always been very healthy. I was lucky enough to have an early diagnosis made because my HCG levels and progesterone were being monitored from the time I found out I was pregnant. This was because I had a miscarriage six months prior. While miscarriage occurs in 1/3 - 1/2 of all pregnancies, ectopic pregnancy is more rare - Occurring in only about 1 in 200 to, at the most, 1 in 100 pregnancies. Ectopic pregnancy is not the same as a miscarriage because your body does not reject the pregnancy, and often the fetus will continue to grow. Without early medical intervention, the fallopian tube will eventually burst, causing hemorrhage, loss of the tube, and possible death of the mother. Luckily, modern medical science makes it possible to diagnose these pregnancies earlier with blood tests and ultrasound. If the ectopic is found early enough, surgery is not always needed to dissolve the pregnancy and save the tube. If your HCG levels are under 10,000, and you have not experienced internal bleeding, your doctor can administer a chemotherapeutic drug called Methotrexate. Methotrexate is known to be as affective as laparoscopy and other surgeries without the risk of damage to the tubes. It is a nearly painless injection which takes seconds, and it works for 86% - 90% of women with the first injection. Afterwards, I started feeling scared and alone. I felt that I killed my baby, and couldn't deal with the fact that nothing could be done to move him/her to the right place safely. Even when I could cope with the reality of the loss, I was terribly afraid of having a repeat ectopic pregnancy. There was no way to identify what caused this type of pregnancy to occur, so the only way to find out whether we could conceive our own child naturally and have an intra-uterine pregnancy was to try again. (However, one fertility doctor advised me that a Hysterosalpingogram [HSG] could help learn more about what blockages might exist in my tubes. This is a procedure in which dye is injected into the reproductive tract, and X-ray allows doctors to see how the dye travels and whether it gets stopped by a blockage or abnormalities of the uterus.) I worried about going through the same thing again, but we were still grateful for what we did have; Even if I found out that I could not conceive naturally with my tubes, my body still produced healthy eggs. So, if all else failed, in-vitro fertilization would always be a possibility. Overall, however, statistics show that the risk of a woman having a second ectopic pregnancy is only about 20%. As you can see, I have listed many statistics and medical information. I found all of this information on medical web sites, and decided to share them here, in conjunction with my own story, to make it easier for women to find the information they need and cope with this type of pregnancy. About Soft Markers for Down Syndrome It is not uncommon for what are referred to as "soft markers" for chromosomal abnormalities to appear on a high-level routine ultrasound. Some of these include Choroid Plexus Cysts (cysts on baby's brain) and Echogenic Focus (bright spot on baby's heart). While many babies with Down Syndrome exhibit these markers in-utero, many perfectly healthy babies do as well. In most cases where markers are present, the odds of chromosomal abnormalities existing in the fetus dramatically increase, but are still very low. Another concern can be short femur and humerus measurements taken via ultrasound, which can sometimes be indicators for dwarfism. When I was 18 weeks pregnant and had my first high-level ultrasound, I learned that both of my babies showed all of the markers I've mentioned. The remainder of my pregnancy was a roller coaster of doubt and optimism, as I returned to a flighty perinatologist every 3 weeks for follow-up ultrasounds. In the end, both babies were given a 1 in 83 risk of having Down Syndrome. While this risk was still very low, it was a dramatic increase from the average 1 in 1000 for my age group. I was terrified, but I gave birth to two perfectly healthy, normal little girls. When presented with this difficult issue, parents have several options. They can wait until the child is born to learn whether chromosomal abnormalities are present (which we chose to do), have an amniocentesis performed to determine the outcome (which is known to be about 85% accurate, but has its risks), or get a triple screen test (a simple blood test). In my case, I could not get the triple screen test, because the results from the blood work are thrown off from the presence of twins. An accurate number could not be obtained. If you find yourself in this situation, know that you are not alone, and that this is fairly common. Find a doctor you are comfortable with, who will take the time to be honest with you and point out what he is looking at during each ultrasound. Search the web for support sites. One non-profit organization for choroid plexus cysts information offers a supportive message board. About Port Wine Stains When my daughters were born, I had the usual health concerns - Are they breathing well? Do they each have ten fingers and ten toes? Once I learned that there were no issues, I was relieved. When I first was introduced to my second-born, Molly, it was clear that she had a very large, dark red birth mark on her head, extending a bit down her forehead. About an inch and a half in length, most of the birth mark was above her scalp line. I didn't worry, and many people assumed it was a strawberry mark that would fade over time. I quickly learned, however, that Molly's type of birth mark was called a port wine stain - the only permanent type of birth mark. We spoke to a few people whose children had these marks, and most opted for laser surgery for removal when the children were toddlers. I thought this to be a drastic move, but I quickly learned why they made such a decision. Many people, adults and children alike, made rude comments and gave strange, disgusted looks when they saw Molly. Perhaps they thought she had a large burn or bruise which was caused by abuse or neglect. Regardless, I couldn't believe that people could be so ignorant and crude. I was surprised to find out, after speaking with several people, that there seem to be far more children with these marks than the "1 in 2,000 children" estimate I had found prior. If your child is born with a port wine stain, remember that it is indeed just a birthmark. It poses no health concerns, and it is your decision whether you choose to make cosmetic alterations when your child is older. If you do decide to seek treatment for removal, consult a reputable dermatologist with whom you are comfortable, preferably one with extensive pediatric experience. |