An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that falls outside the inner lining of the uterus, and the fallopian tubes are the most common sites for an ectopic pregnancy, and the three symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include abdominal pain, interruption of the menstrual cycle, and vaginal bleeding, and we learn about the most important tests that help your doctor in diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy, According to medicinenet.
Tests to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy
The diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy is usually determined by blood hormone tests and a pelvic ultrasound.
The first step in diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy is an interview and examination by a doctor, and the second usual step is to obtain a qualitative (positive or negative) or quantitative pregnancy test (which measures hormone levels).
Occasionally, a doctor may feel a thin lump during a pelvic exam if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected. The combination of blood hormone pregnancy tests and a pelvic ultrasound can usually help establish the diagnosis.
A transvaginal ultrasound is the most useful test for visualizing an ectopic pregnancy. In this test, an ultrasound probe is inserted into the vagina, and images of the pelvis appear on a monitor.
A transvaginal ultrasound can reveal a gestational cyst either in a normal (intrauterine) pregnancy or in an ectopic pregnancy, but the results are often inconclusive.
Instead of a gestational sac containing a visible fetus, the examination may simply reveal a lump in the fallopian tubes or anywhere else that suggests an ectopic pregnancy but is not conclusive.
An ultrasound can also show the absence of an intrauterine pregnancy.
Pregnancy tests designed to detect specific hormones. The beta subunit of blood levels to counteract human chorionic gonadotropin (beta HCG) is also used in diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy.
Beta HCG levels rise naturally during pregnancy and an abnormal pattern in this hormone elevation could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy.
In rare cases, a laparoscopy may be needed to confirm a diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy.
Comments
Post a Comment