Giving birth is not common for everyone. Some people may undergo several artificial treatments to get a child into their life. New modern infertility treatments can achieve this. Even though they are a boon to infertility couples, they have their ups and downs that may be faced during in vitro fertilization treatment.Â
If someone is affected by ectopic pregnancy, she may raise many questions in her mind. This article will examine the causes of ectopic pregnancies in IVF. The various treatment methods and preventive measures are thoroughly discussed.
How To Avoid Ectopic Pregnancy With IVF?
The rising risk factors in invitro fertilization may not be changed. However, some precautions can be taken to avoid ectopic pregnancy in your reproductive treatment. The proactive steps that you need to take with IVF are as follows:
- Adapt new lifestyle adjustments: Giving up smoking addiction may be a small change for you, but it ends in providing amazing results. Smoking may cause damage to your fallopian tubes, and it breaks the egg to travel through the fallopian tube and ends up increasing the chances of ectopic pregnancy. So avoiding this serious, unhealthy lifestyle can increase your chances of an optimistic IVF process.
- Resolving tubal problems: A patient who has a history of having tubal factor infertility like a blocked or damaged fallopian tube or a report of having ectopic pregnancies before IVF can be addressed to your physician. These problems can be resolved by clipping the fallopian tubes through laparoscopy. This tremendously reduces the risk of ectopic pregnancy and tubal infertility factors.
- Age: Ectopic births are increasing as women get older. In invitro fertilization, women who are crossing their age above 35 may have a higher likelihood of evolving an abnormal pregnancy. The hormonal changes in their body are the main root cause of it. Therefore, seek advice from your fertility specialist before your IVF procedure to help you with every step.
- Efficient embryo transfer process: The danger of having an ectopic pregnancy may be decreased by using the least amount of culture material and placing the embryo in the proper location. At the apex of the uterus, they are extremely prevalent. To avoid this, use ultrasound supervision to view whether the embryo is placed at the right place or near the top of the uterus.
- Utilizing uterine relaxation agents: IVF patients who already have a history of abnormal pregnancy may suggested to take uterine relaxation medications to avoid premature delivery. The stimulation given to the embryo is avoided and paves the way for settling it at the appropriate locations.
- Healing pelvic inflammatory disease: A bacteria-driven infection that seriously damages women’s upper reproductive organs. The scar tissues may be formed inside the fallopian tube. This breaks the way for the egg to implant in the uterus. So, before reaching the ultimate place of implantation, it positions itself in the fallopian tube and develops inside it. Heavy bleeding may be experienced by women and needs emergency medical attention.
- Curing sexually transmitted infections: The probability of an ectopic pregnancy is increased by sexually transmitted illnesses such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. This can be avoided by having safe sex with partners and maintaining hygiene habits. The desired antibiotics may cure this serious issue and enhance your in-vitro fertilization process.
Why do Ectopic Pregnancies Occur?
Several reasons cause ectopic pregnancies in women, as follows:
- Fallopian tube problems: If patients already have any issues related to ruptured or blocked fallopian tubes, they may have high risks of ectopic pregnancy. This can be resolved by taking regular medications to cure your fallopian tube issues first and then moving to the IVF process to get optimistic results.
- Hormone imbalance: The hormonal variances in your body may affect your metabolic activities and cause irregular weight gain, bloating, fatigue, mood swings, and others. The reproductive capacity of the women can also be affected and lead to infertility. This can be regularised by having good lifestyle choices with proper medications.
- Smoking: Regular smoking habits increase the level of nicotine, thus blocking your fallopian tube, which is a pathway for an embryo to reach the uterine wall and ready the implantation process. However, the blocked tube allows the embryo to settle there and develop inside it, resulting in ectopic pregnancy.
- History of having an ectopic pregnancy: Some women may already know about premature deliveries and are interested in giving birth to a child through an IVF procedure. By following their healthcare provider’s recommendations for lifestyle modifications and appropriate medication, their prior ailment may be resolved.
- Uterine disorders: Serious health problems of the uterus may cause fibroids, adenomyosis, and endometriosis. This includes abnormal bleeding, growth of the lining in other parts of the uterus, uterus enlargement, etc. It may directly affect the fertility of women without showing any symptoms in the early stages.
- Cesarean scars: Women who give birth to a child through cesarean section, may have improperly healed scars at that time. The embryo now formed directly takes its seat to settle there and starts to develop.
Treatment Options for an Ectopic Pregnancy?
A fertilized egg cannot be normally seated in the wrong place and cause severe issues. Several symptoms and diseases may trigger the embryo to grow outside the uterus. This can be cured by providing the right treatment. The treatment of ectopic pregnancy may include three steps:Â
1. Medications:Â
At the initial stage of the ectopic pregnancy, women may face unstable bleeding. This can be easily treated by giving medication such as methotrexate. It stops the cells from growing further and eradicates the existing cells. After this injection, you are asked to take another HCG test to confirm the working of medications against your ectopic pregnancy.
2. Laparoscopic procedures:
The prevalently used laparoscopic procedures in treating ectopic pregnancies are salpingostomy and salpingectomy. A laparoscopic instrument is inserted through a tiny incision near or in the navel to see the complications of your ectopic pregnancy.Â
- Salpingostomy: The fallopian tube is allowed to heal on its way after removing the ectopic pregnancy.
- Salpingectomy: Both the fallopian tube and ectopic pregnancy are removed in this type.
3. Emergency surgery:
In some cases of ectopic pregnancy that causes heavy bleeding, the patients may need emergency surgery. Two methods are preferred in curing this type: laparoscopic surgery and abdominal incision. However, a damaged fallopian tube is removed, and in some cases, they can be saved.
Conclusion
On the whole, we concluded that ectopic pregnancies do not happen at the time of IVF treatment. Previous health histories of the patients are to be validated for checking the state of the uterus of the woman who is ready to bear IVF procedures.
FAQ's
Your body may require some time to heal itself. Ask your healthcare provider for the next pregnancy and IVF procedure.
Yes. You can have a normal pregnancy in the future even though you have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past.
Similar to normal pregnancy, you may have symptoms like nausea, breast tenderness, vomiting, missed periods, and fatigue. A few weeks after pregnancy confirmation, you may feel some discomfort, severe pain, or bleeding in your lower abdomen. There you need your physician to resolve your problems.
