Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy occurs whenever the blastocyst implants anywhere except in the endometrium lining the uterine cavity. Possible sites for ectopic pregnancy include the cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and abdomen. Predisposing factors to ectopic pregnancy are given in this section. For a woman with a suspected ectopic pregnancy, the midwife should draw blood for a quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin, obtain an ultrasound, and notify the consulting physician. Early diagnosis and referral to the physician are critical. If a tubal pregnancy can be diagnosed before rupture, microsurgery or medical management with methotrexate is more likely to save the fallopian tube.
Source:
Helen Varney. Varney’s Midwifery. Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 1997.
