Ectopic pregnancy

[PutThatInYourPipeandSmokeIt]

Has anyone had an ectopic and if you did a PG test, was it positive or negative?

Also - did you have any symptoms prior to it being discovered?

I haven't but yes you do get a positive test, often the first signs are similar to that of any infection, fever, and pain, sometimes in the left shoulder. Most ectopics are discovered either because of pain and bleeding or during routine dating scans. Apparently few go on beyond six weeks.

Is this something you are worried about for yourself?

I had an ectopic. I spotted from the day my period was due and tested when I was a week late (still spotting) and it was positive. Had a couple of little twinges.

Are you worried you have an ectopic pregnancy?

Not for me - a friend has been bleeding for the best part of 6 weeks - PG test negative and intermittent period pains. I wondered if it was a miscarriage but a scan showed 'no physical reason for the bleeding'. She was rushed in to hospital a couple of days ago for emergency surgery for an ectopic. She should have gone in sooner apparently but thought it was food poisoning.
I thought that it would have been a positive PG test if it was ectopic...

Wow - I guess her hormone levels just didn't pick up because she miscarried very early - how horrible for her.

I work in a and e and the ectopics we see usually have pain and bleeding and are generally found between 6-8 weeks but can be later so it is wrong to be complacent.
The pg test is positive.
Apparently about 50% ectopics resolve and you never know about them the rest if left undetected get to a point that can be life threatening so it is important if you suspect you have one that you are checked.
Sometimes a woman will have no warning that anything is wrong and the ectopic is discovered when she collapses and goes into shock.
If you have symptoms now then go to a and e. If not and your worried then see your gp tomorrow.
It is just a simple ultra sound test that shecks the pg is in the right place although you may be too early to see this so either seriel bcg blood tests are done over 48hrs or you will be re-scanned when a heart beat is expected to be visible.
Try not to worry though this is a relatively common condition and problems only arise when it is not detected or treated.

Hi Frosty - thanks - it's not for me though (see below). Like you are all saying here, a positive test is the usual BUT she had a negative test and tested a couple of times and still negative.

Sorry to hear about your friend. How is she now? It can be very hard for them to locate an ectopic pregnancy on a scan. When she gets out of hospital she may find the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust helpful. They were a lifeline to me when I had my ectopic. They have some great people on their helpline and their forums are very supportive.

a girl at work reckons her daughter has been pg twice and never had a positive result - I was a bit sceptical but perhaps unusually it may happen.
We rule out ectopic if a urine pg test is neg so that contradicts that theory - I'm sorry I don't know - very odd. Can her doctor explain it?

I didnt get a positive PG test straight away and by the time my tube ruptured i was 11ish weeks PG , when going off what i thought was my LMP i should have only been 6.

HTH & Good Luck to your friend. Fingers crossed that theres no ectopic.

Nat xx

Thanks for your replies everyone. She's actually away in the caribbean at the moment and I haven't heard back but I will hopefully hear how's she's getting on. I feel so sorry for her and hope that she's fine to fly back for Christmas poor thing.

And you poor ladies that have had an ectopic yourselves

A few thoughts about pregnancy tests and ectopic. Frosty, does this sound right?

Pregnancy tests pick up the pregnancy hormone (HCG). Pregnancy hormone levels are lower in an ectopic pregnancy than in a normal one.

I had pregnancy symptoms 10 days after ovulating with my ectopic, but didn't get a positive test until a week after that. And about 10 days after that, I started bleeding (ie at six weeks).

Levels of HCG can also be lower if you have drunk a lot of water and if you do the test in the evening.

i would make sure she investigates it and goes to the doctor at least, I had an ectopic and lost a tube so left my one ovary useless..horrible pain and frightening as I had not had surgery before.. it is life threatening - so to sound blunt but your friend has to be responsible for the situation x

True water can dilute a sample but modern tests are picking up minute amounts of hcg. Most tests pick up at 25mlu but some including the hospital ones we use pick up at 10-15mlu plus we do blood hcg levels - at 28 days LMP I read 48 but this varies greatly. All pregnancies should be detectable urine wise by 5-6 weeks most well before. I have no idea how this could happen even with the lower levels in ectopic pg, however 30% become symptomatic prior to missed period so perhaps thats what happened in this case.

or it could have been abdominal or ovarian, might that have made a difference to the hcgs? there's not the right blood supply in an ectopic, they've not hit uterine paydirt so they don't develop at the same rate. or they could be trying to self-resolve so levels dropping and then getting a bit better of a blood supply and having another go at it? i've had two, tested positive with both but i do know of people who haven't.

bluebell, who told you that your ovary was useless without your fallopian tube? is there something wrong with your ovary? because in 15% of all pregnancies they reckon that it's travelled from one ovary to the opposite tube.

Sorry slight hi-jack coming up

Hi Aitch hope your ok. If theres anyone that knows about EP its you . Just wanted to let you know that this pregnancy is going well and ive made it to 32w , only 8 more weeks and he'll be here. Cant wait xx

i'm fine, thanks, that's great news about your pregnancy isn't it? although... dd came at 38 weeks so you may not have as long as you think.

i'm not medical, by the way, but by virtue of hanging around on the EPT boards almost constantly for a year i saw a lot of women being told x or y was impossible and then being rushed in for emergency surgery. plenty of stories to make your hair curl.

My sister was also rushed into emergency surgery after I told her to rush down to a&e when she mentioned shoulder pain (shortly after finding out she was pregnant even though had been sterilised) - they said she would probably have died if she didn't get there when she did and guess who that's thanks to.............MUMSNET

Hi everybody, I'm new to all this stuff as i'm only 16, however ive just recently had an ectopic pregnancy. i had new symptoms from it at all apart from really heavy implantation bleeding with a few clots in at around 3 weeks which only lasted for 3 days, however i didnt have a clue i was pregnant then. my next symptom was spotting at 6 weeks for a day, which is when i took my pregnancy test and it came back as a very very clear positive, but knew something was wrong it was some sort of gut feeling. next thing i knew after my first baby scan, was i was being rushed into hospital for emergency surgery. so not everybody gets symptoms. hope this can help anybody.