How early can an ectopic pregnancy be detected?

[chocowoccydoodaa]

Had severe abdominal pain a few days ago that went after I went to the toilet. Light bleeding yesterday. I'm only just over 4 weeks though. Not sure what to do. Feeling just a bit weak and hot but that's normal in pregnancy. Wondering if to go A&E but feel it's pointless if it can't be detected so early?

@chocowoccydoodaa they will do an internal scan in A& E to locate the pregnancy do blood and urine samples I'm further along than you but last week at 6 weeks I had a bleed and went into A & E. They were great did the internal scan to locate the pregnancy- I had a further bleed and pains and I've just come back from an ultrasound and everything is fine and we seen a heartbeat as I'm 7+5 now- always best to go and get checked.

Hope yours is the same as mine and all is ok x

Sorry you're feeling unwell and experiencing this. It may be nothing, so please try not to worry.
It's too early to detect via a scan so the only indicator would be blood tests to monitor hormone levels. Contact your midwife and/or the early pregnancy unit at your local maternity facility for advice.

I had an ectopic so now have an early scan now in every pregnancy. Early scans are usually around 5 weeks, but I had pain with one and was scanned at 4 weeks.

At 4 weeks they won’t be able to see the pregnancy, but will look for free fluid and do blood tests to measure hcg.

They can do bloods and it will give them a good indicator. They didn’t see mine despite loads of scans from 4 weeks as it wasn’t big enough. Bloods will be best and then hopefully you can catch it early.

I would get in touch with your nearest EPU. They might ask you to come in and check and monitor your HCG levels to start with - if it’s an ectopic or MC they may be on the low side so that could be an initial indicator. They would probably book you in for a scan next week.

A&E said there's nothing they can do. And that they would only even consider scans and blood tests if I was bleeding extremely heavily and it was uncontrollable.

I was told EPU should call me tomorrow but they may not see me for a couple of weeks.

I feel riddled with anxiety, excruciating pain followed with light bleeding doesn't sound positive to me.

A&E said there's nothing they can do. And that they would only even consider scans and blood tests if I was bleeding extremely heavily and it was uncontrollable.

I think if the pain is as you say excruciating then you need to be seen to. Bleeding or not is irrelevant - it could be something not pregnancy related for all they know. I had an ectopic and didn’t bleed heavily, never mind uncontrollably. Lighter than a normal period - ectopic bleeding usually is. I had mild to moderate pain on one side, never excruciating - this was at around 5 weeks. I phoned my GP they told me to go straight to A and E where they checked my HCG, kept me in overnight to be safe incase there was a rupture and in the morning I had a scan which confirmed the pregnancy was in my tube.
At 4 weeks it’s unlikely to be dangerous if it is an ectopic, so I guess that’s why there’s no rush to see you. But I don’t think anyone should ever be fobbed off for serious abdominal pain. See what the EPU says - I’ve been on the phone with mine a few times, they’ve always been very good.
If it doesn’t get better ring 111 - they’ll send you back to A and E for sure if the pain in your abdomen is severe, you can then tell them there that you were told to go back.

I had no pain at all with my ectopic. If you have excruciating pain get down to a&e now, it could be appendicitis. Mine nearly burst and could have been fatal.

@chocowoccydoodaa I hope your EPU are as good as mine they have seen me twice in a week. They were amazing.

I have had just had an ectopic, in hospital and now just waiting to be discharged.
If you are in pain please go to A&E right away.
Mine pain started super early at 4 weeks and I did 8 hours of agony in A&E being monitored until EPU opened for scan at 9am.
I had a small bleed after 8 hours of pain then nothing.
Pain and bleeding disappeared for about 5 days.
Unfortunately they didn't find Anything on scan until 8 days later but you need to be seen bloods done examination etc as soon as possible.
I was about 5 weeks when they finally saw something suspicious on a scan and I was taken down for emergency surgery immediately.
Pain like that shouldn't be ignored.

If in doubt go to A&E
Look up referred pain ectopic pregnancy. I was already in a gynae ward being observed for suspected ectopic when I got this horrendous pulled muscle type pain by my shoulder blades. After that it was all systems go, they got the scanner out and next thing I was signing consent forms.

@chocowoccydoodaa How are you? What did EPU say? X