IVF after ectopic pregnancy – In vitro fertilization, IVF will be the best option for having a successful pregnancy for many women with a history of tubal damage and one or more ectopic pregnancies. Our IVF success rates
Pregnancy success rates with IVF are excellent in (young) women with tubal problems Tubal pregnancy results from in vitro in only about 3% of cases
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How long does it take to get pregnant after ectopic pregnancy?
Why must I wait for three months before trying to conceive? – While there is no clear, researched evidence on how long a couple should wait to try to conceive after having treatment for ectopic pregnancy, we and other medical professionals advise that it may be best to wait for at least three months or two full menstrual cycles (periods) before trying to conceive for both physical and emotional reasons.
- The bleed that occurs in the first week or so of treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is not your first period.
- It is the bleed that occurs in response to falling hormones associated with the lost pregnancy.
- Physically, this timeframe is to allow your cycle to return to normal and for there to be a clear period to date a new pregnancy from.
The date of the first day of the period is what is used to decide when to scan a new pregnancy; information that is invaluable in ensuring you are not suffering from another ectopic pregnancy. The first proper period you have after an ectopic pregnancy may be heavier than usual and the second more like your usual period.
A normal period would suggest you are hormonally ready to be able to try to conceive. Having two periods can also give an idea of menstrual cycle length, which may be different for a few months after your ectopic before settling back into its usual rhythm. This wait allows the internal inflammation and bruising from the ectopic and any associated treatment to heal.
In addition to the physical aspects of ectopic pregnancy, many people also feel an intense emotional impact. Taking time before trying to conceive again enables the necessary process of grief to surface and be worked through. The emotional recovery that is often needed can be significant and many underestimate this aspect.
If you have had either one or two injections of methotrexate, you should wait until your hCG levels have fallen to below 5mIU/mL (your doctor will advise you when this is through blood or urinary tests) and then take a folic acid supplement for 12 weeks before you try to conceive. This is because the drug may have reduced the level of folate in your body which is needed to ensure a baby develops healthily.
The methotrexate is metabolised quickly but it can affect the quality of your cells, including those of your eggs, and the quality of your blood for up to three months after it has been given. The medicine can also affect the way your liver works and so you need to give your body time to recover properly before a new pregnancy is considered.
A shortage of folate could result in a greater chance of a baby having a neural tube defect such as cleft lip and palate, or even spina bifida or other neural tube defects. If you have had medical management followed by surgery, you can start taking a folic acid supplement again once your doctors have confirmed that all of the pregnancy has resolved.
This is particularly important if you have been having blood tests to check hCG levels after your surgery. You can start to try to conceive again 12 weeks after the date that the methotrexate was administered. The NHS website has more information on vitamins, supplements, and nutrition during pregnancy.
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Is it easy to get pregnant after ectopic pregnancy?
It’s normal to feel this way. Continue to take care of yourself with: –
Adequate sleep Exercise Proper nutrition Avoidance of drugs and alcohol, and cigarette smoking ― all of which might negatively affect the grieving process
Most women who experience ectopic pregnancy and treatment will achieve a successful pregnancy in the future, even if they’ve lost one fallopian tube as part of the therapy. There is a 10% risk of recurrence, which is why it’s important to work with your health care team when planning for a future pregnancy. Also, early documentation of an intrauterine gestational sac is of paramount importance.
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Is it harder to get pregnant after ectopic?
09 Aug Can I Get Pregnant After an Ectopic? – Ectopic pregnancies are devastating and frequently lead to the loss of a fallopian tube. Some patients are ready to try again immediately. Others are wary, fearing a repeat scenario. However, you can still conceive and carry a baby in almost all cases.
- Studies show that 65% of women who’ve had ectopic pregnancies and try again are pregnant within the first year, and as many as 85% are pregnant after the second year.
- That said, we recommend working closely with your OB/GYN or a fertility specialist because women who experience an ectopic pregnancy have a higher risk of it happening again (about a 1 in 10, or 10%).
Of course, your safety is always the priority, so follow your OB or fertility specialist’s lead. If you’ve had two or more ectopic pregnancies, you should talk to your doctor about pursuing IVF treatments for your health and safety.
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When will I ovulate after ectopic?
When can I expect the first period after my ectopic pregnancy and will it be painful? – Your menstrual periods after an ectopic pregnancy can take a while to re-establish. They can restart any time between four and ten weeks after medical treatment. Most find that their first period arrives sometime around week six or seven after surgery, or, if treated without surgery, at some time in the four weeks after their hCG levels have fallen to below 100 mIU/mL.
Before you can have a period, ovulation needs to occur. It is perfectly possible to ovulate 14 days after surgical treatment and almost as soon with methotrexate treatment. It is important to be aware that it is possible to become pregnant even without having the first period if you are not using some form of contraception when having sexual intercourse.
The first period may be more painful or less so than usual, heavier or lighter, and last for longer or shorter than usual – there really is no set pattern. You should be able to manage the discomfort with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medications and should not be soaking a pad in less than an hour.
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How can I prevent an ectopic pregnancy again?
There is no way to prevent an ectopic pregnancy, but you can lower your risk by using condoms when you have sex (before you try to conceive) to help prevent sexually transmitted infections and reduce the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease. You can also stop smoking, if you smoke.
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How long is recovery from an ectopic pregnancy?
Surgery – In most cases, keyhole surgery (laparoscopy) will be carried out to remove the pregnancy before it becomes too large. During a laparoscopy:
you’re given general anaesthetic, so you’re asleep while it’s carried outsmall cuts (incisions) are made in your tummya thin viewing tube (laparoscope) and small surgical instruments are inserted through the incisionsthe entire fallopian tube containing the pregnancy is removed if your other fallopian tube looks healthy – otherwise, removing the pregnancy without removing the whole tube may be attempted
Removing the affected fallopian tube is the most effective treatment and isn’t thought to reduce your chances of becoming pregnant again. Your doctor will discuss this with you beforehand, and you’ll be asked whether you consent to having the tube removed.
- Most women can leave hospital a few days after surgery, although it can take 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover.
- If your fallopian tube has already ruptured, you’ll need emergency surgery.
- The surgeon will make a larger incision in your tummy (laparotomy) to stop the bleeding and repair your fallopian tube, if that’s possible.
After either type of surgery, a treatment called anti-D rhesus prophylaxis will be given if your blood type is RhD negative (see blood groups for more information). This involves an injection of a medicine that helps to prevent rhesus disease in future pregnancies.
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Can you get pregnant 4 months after ectopic?
Yes, You Can Conceive after an Ectopic Pregnancy – Studies show similar rates of conception after an ectopic pregnancy, regardless of how it was treated, and numbers are high–up to 80% will go on to have a live birth. However, the risk of another ectopic is still increased in future pregnancies.
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Does ectopic pregnancy affect future fertility?
Its effect on a woman’s fertility – Ectopic pregnancies are usually detected early on with monitoring by the woman’s OB-GYN. This increases the chance of the woman having a successful pregnancy later. While an ectopic pregnancy can cause subsequent infertility, about 65% of women who have had this condition have a healthy pregnancy within 18 months.
And the chances appear to increase after additional time. A woman’s chance of future pregnancy success after an ectopic pregnancy is usually related to the health of her fallopian tubes. Our fertility specialists can evaluate a woman’s tubal health and possible infertility after this type of pregnancy, and advise her on options for future pregnancy.
Women who have had an ectopic pregnancy are at higher risk of having another one. It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancies during future pregnancies. Women who become pregnant again after having an ectopic one should consult their OB-GYN to confirm the pregnancy is in the uterus.
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Can I have a baby after 2 ectopic pregnancy?
Can I Have a Baby After an Ectopic Pregnancy? Series Ectopic Pregnancy Written by Reviewed by on November 12, 2022 If you’ve had an, you probably have a ton of questions for your doctor. One of them likely will be whether you can again. And if you can, are the chances now higher that this problem will happen again? The easy answer to both of those questions is yes: You can deliver a healthy, full-term baby after an ectopic pregnancy.
- And yes, your odds are slightly higher of having another ectopic pregnancy.
- Because you’ve had one fertilized egg fail to implant in the uterus, there’s a little more likelihood that it’ll happen again.
- But there are many issues at play that it’s impossible to give one answer for every woman.
- A lot depends on why your ectopic pregnancy happened and how it was resolved.
You also have to consider your history of and other risk factors for ectopic, After an ectopic pregnancy, there’s about a 10-15% chance it will happen again. So, one important issue to think about is the reason for your previous ectopic pregnancy. Your medical history will play a big part in any future pregnancies.
A history of will be the biggest influence on your odds of again – and, unfortunately, it might also raise the chances of another ectopic pregnancy. If you have an oddly shaped fallopian tube, or if you have scarring from surgery or a sexually transmitted infection, you’ll probably have a harder time getting (and staying) pregnant.
raises your odds of an ectopic pregnancy even more. Your age matters, too. Most ectopic pregnancies occur in women in their late 30s and early 40s. One thing is certain: If you do again, you’ll be in the high-risk category. Your doctor will watch closely from early on to make sure everything goes smoothly.
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Why do I keep having ectopic pregnancies?
How do I know if I’m at risk of an ectopic pregnancy? – There are several risk factors that could increase your chance of developing an ectopic pregnancy. A risk factor is a trait or behavior that increases your chance for developing a disease or condition. You may be at a higher risk of developing an ectopic pregnancy if you’ve had:
A previous ectopic pregnancy. A history of, an infection that can cause scar tissue to form in your fallopian tubes, uterus, ovaries and cervix. Surgery on your fallopian tubes (including, also referred to as having your tubes tied) or on the other organs of your pelvic area. A history of infertility. Treatment for infertility with in vitro fertilization (IVF)., An intrauterine device (IUD), a form of birth control, in place at the time of conception. A history of smoking.
Your risk can also increase as you get older. Women over age 35 are more at risk than younger women. Many women who experience an ectopic pregnancy don’t have any of the above risk factors.
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Does it take longer to get pregnant with one fallopian tube?
13 Jan I Have Only 1 Fallopian Tube. Can I Get Pregnant? – Having one functioning fallopian tube should not affect your ability to get pregnant as long as there aren’t other infertility factors at work. If, however, there is an anatomical abnormality or blockage in your functioning tube or you are diagnosed with additional infertility issues such as PCOS, endometriosis, poor sperm quality, etc., it may require expert fertility assistance to help you get pregnant.
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Which fallopian tube is more important?
Pregnancy is absolutely possible with one fallopian tube, assuming you and the solo tube are healthy. In fact, as many as 85% of women who are at optimal pregnancy age (22 – 28) and who only have one tube conceive a baby within two years of trying consistently – even after an ectopic pregnancy.
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Why do ectopic pregnancies fail?
What is an ectopic pregnancy? – It is usual for an egg and sperm to meet and for conception to begin in a fallopian tube. Normally the fertilised egg continues its journey into the uterus but in an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilised egg stays inside the fallopian tube.
- The uterus is able to stretch and grow with the pregnancy.
- The fallopian tube cannot grow and expand in the same way, so an ectopic pregnancy cannot continue to develop.
- As the pregnancy becomes larger it stretches the tube, which is very painful and can cause the tube to tear or burst.
- If this happens there can be serious internal bleeding and urgent surgery may be needed.
Sometimes an ectopic pregnancy will shrink on its own and miscarry. About one or two in every one hundred pregnancies are ectopic. Often no reason is found, but tubal pregnancy is more common in the following situations:
after fertility treatment such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) if there is a history of pelvic infection in women with damaged fallopian tubes in women who have had previous surgery (such as caesarean section, ovarian cysts or appendix removed) in women who become pregnant while using an IUD or a progestogen only pill.
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What happens after ectopic pregnancy?
Therefore after your ectopic pregnancy is treated, you should expect some heavy period-like bleeding for a week or so. While the bleeding continues, it is best to use sanitary pads instead of tampons, as this will reduce the risk of infection. Baths or showers can be taken as required.
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How do fallopian tubes grow back together?
Will I get my period after a salpingectomy? – The fallopian tubes aren’t responsible for your periods, so you’ll continue to have periods after salpingectomy. If you’ve had one or both of your fallopian tubes removed, you should watch for these signs:
Swelling or redness at the incision. Leaking fluid or pus from the incision. Pelvic pain. Swelling or pain in your legs (a sign of blood clots). Fever or chills.,
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience these symptoms, as it could indicate complications from surgery. No, your fallopian tubes can’t grow back. Your fallopian tubes are formed during, They can’t grow back after they are completely removed.
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How long is ectopic pregnancy recovery?
Surgery – In most cases, keyhole surgery (laparoscopy) will be carried out to remove the pregnancy before it becomes too large. During a laparoscopy:
you’re given general anaesthetic, so you’re asleep while it’s carried outsmall cuts (incisions) are made in your tummya thin viewing tube (laparoscope) and small surgical instruments are inserted through the incisionsthe entire fallopian tube containing the pregnancy is removed if your other fallopian tube looks healthy – otherwise, removing the pregnancy without removing the whole tube may be attempted
Removing the affected fallopian tube is the most effective treatment and isn’t thought to reduce your chances of becoming pregnant again. Your doctor will discuss this with you beforehand, and you’ll be asked whether you consent to having the tube removed.
Most women can leave hospital a few days after surgery, although it can take 4 to 6 weeks to fully recover. If your fallopian tube has already ruptured, you’ll need emergency surgery. The surgeon will make a larger incision in your tummy (laparotomy) to stop the bleeding and repair your fallopian tube, if that’s possible.
After either type of surgery, a treatment called anti-D rhesus prophylaxis will be given if your blood type is RhD negative (see blood groups for more information). This involves an injection of a medicine that helps to prevent rhesus disease in future pregnancies.
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How many babies can you have after an ectopic pregnancy?
After 2 or more ectopics and conservative surgery: –
The subsequent delivery rate is about 25% The recurrent ectopic rate is about 25% (so about 50% of pregnancies are ectopics). The infertility rate is about 50%
As a woman has more and more ectopics, the chances for a live birth delivery (without IVF treatment) become less and less.
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Does it take longer to get pregnant with one fallopian tube?
13 Jan I Have Only 1 Fallopian Tube. Can I Get Pregnant? – Having one functioning fallopian tube should not affect your ability to get pregnant as long as there aren’t other infertility factors at work. If, however, there is an anatomical abnormality or blockage in your functioning tube or you are diagnosed with additional infertility issues such as PCOS, endometriosis, poor sperm quality, etc., it may require expert fertility assistance to help you get pregnant.
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How long does it take for hCG levels to drop after ectopic?
Possible Answers – 1. More than 100,000 ectopic pregnancies are reported every year in the United States. Diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy uses serial hCG levels (eg, demonstrating lack of expected rise in early pregnancy), ultrasonographic examinations, and sometimes uterine curettage.1 Gestational sacs are usually evident by ultrasound by 6 weeks gestation.
- In a normal intrauterine pregnancy, a gestational sac is usually visible by modern transvaginal ultrasound if serum hCG levels exceed 1,500 IU/L.
- Treatment of ectopic pregnancy can be medical or surgical, with medical approaches generally favored if there is early recognition.2, 3 Medical therapy uses MTX, a folic-acid antagonist that is highly toxic to rapidly replicating tissues.
MTX is typically given as single-dose or multi-dose therapy. If single-dose therapy is used, serum hCG concentrations are measured on the day of administration and on days 4 and 7 after administration. hCG levels frequently increase between the day of administration and day 4; however, there should be a 15% or greater drop in hCG between days 4 and 7.
If this does not occur, another dose of MTX is given. In all medical therapies for ectopic pregnancy, serum hCG levels need to be followed until they are undetectable, to rule out the viability of persistent trophoblastic tissue. Success rates of MTX therapy average approximately 90% but are highly dependent on the degree of advancement of the pregnancy, as determined by ultrasound findings and the hCG level.1, 2, 4 Surgery is indicated when there is suspected Fallopian-tube rupture or if medical therapy is contraindicated.
The strongest candidates for MTX therapy are women who have hemodynamic stability, have a serum hCG concentration of 5,000 IU/L or less, and for whom no fetal cardiac activity is detected. However, some patients may opt for MTX therapy even when the serum hCG level exceeds 5,000 IU/L, to avoid the risks of surgical intervention (eg, impact on fertility); however, there is a higher rate of treatment failure and risk of ruptured ectopic pregnancy in these cases.4, 5 Our patient was at higher risk of failure of MTX therapy due to her high serum hCG level (27,995 IU/L) at the time of treatment initiation.
Studies of successful ectopic pregnancy treatment have shown that serum hCG declines with a half-life of approximately 30 to 64 hours.6 Depending on initial serum hCG level, the time until undetectable hCG levels can be as long as 6 to 8 weeks. The diagnosis of persistent ectopic pregnancy is made if serum hCG levels rise again or stop declining.
The current case is unusual, in that even after a combination of 2 MTX doses and a subsequent operation, the serum hCG levels of the patient were still elevated more than 3 months later. As described in “Patient Follow-Up” below, an additional 6 months and 3 more MTX doses were required for hCG levels to return to undetectable.2.
There are several possible causes of a persistently elevated serum hCG level.7 An increased or unchanging serum hCG concentration can occur with gestational trophoblastic disease and with nontrophoblastic neoplasms (eg, germ-cell tumors and teratomas). Many nontrophoblastic tumors do not produce intact hCG and may only produce free β subunit or other hCG products.8 The hCG produced by these tumors may be undetected via serum or urine hCG assays specific for intact hCG.
This scenario would be a possible cause of detectable serum hCG (if the assay can recognize the variant forms) but with negative urine hCG test results. False elevations of hCG (sometimes termed phantom hCG ) due to heterophile antibody interference have also been reported; 9–11 in some cases, these have led to incorrect diagnoses of malignant neoplasms and subsequent unnecessary medications and/or invasive procedures.
- Heterophile antibodies are not secreted in the urine.
- Thus, heterophile antibody interference can cause persistently elevated serum hCG levels, even in the context of negative urine hCG test results.12–14 Most currently marketed hCG quantitative assays use monoclonal mouse antibodies.
- A patient history of exposure to mouse or animal proteins can predispose that individual to heterophile interference.12, 15 Incubation with heterophile blocking agents may eliminate the interference.
In addition, specimens that contain heterophile antibodies may produce unexpected results after dilution. Another common approach to rule out false-positive hCG measurements is to measure hCG using a different hCG assay, with the rationale that heterophile interference is unlikely to affect multiple assays that use different antibodies and methodology.
- Verification of a persistently elevated serum hCG level is especially important because the laboratory results may influence clinical decisions for invasive procedures and/or potentially toxic medications.
- In the current case, the hCG concentrations are low enough that it is unlikely ultrasound will identify remnants of the ectopic pregnancy.
Therefore, the serum hCG levels drive clinical decision-making processes.3. An alternative hypothesis in this case is that the serum hCG level is actually much larger than measured and that some interference is producing a falsely lower value. This can occur with conditions such as hydatidiform mole or choriocarcinoma that can produce extremely high serum hCG values (eg, exceeding 1,000,000 IU/L in some choriocarinomas) that generate a hook effect.16, 17 A high-dose hook effect can occur when very high concentrations of antigen cause incomplete antibody-antigen complexes to form, resulting in a measured concentration much less than the actual concentration in the specimen.
The effect is more pronounced as antigen concentrations increase toward very high levels. As the design of immunoassays has improved, hook effects are less commonly encountered. A hook effect can be detected by diluting the specimen to a concentration within the linear measuring range of the assay. The concentration determined by dilution studies, after correcting for the dilution factor, will be higher than that of the undiluted specimen if hook effect is occurring.4.
The key laboratory studies are as follows: analysis by alternative serum hCG assay(s) with different methodology, dilution studies, and incubation with heterophilic blocking agents.
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