What causes ectopic pregnancies?
In: Biology
Ectopic pregnancies occur where the fetus is attached to the Fallopian tubes, so it doesn’t get down to the uterus, where it could form a viable fetus. Once it is attached, it can’t move. It also cannot grow to full size in the fallopian tube, so it normally either self terminates, or a medical termination is needed to save the mothers life (a bad ectopic pregnancy can be fatal, and the fetus has no chance of survival in any case).
There can be various causes of this, and certainly, some are unknown.
Injury to the fallopian tubes can certainly cause it. Endometriosis can cause it (it can cause stagnant ‘menstrual blood’ to accumulate and block the tube). An unusual shaped fallopain tube can also do it. Certain diseases can cause it, particularly those that cause inflammation or obstruction of the fallopian tube, as if it’s inflamed, or filled with pus from a bacterial infection, then the ovum is likely obstructed on its passage.
We would suspect that low but inadequate doses of contraceptives can cause it (causing delays to ovum release, but not preventing it), while I’ve yet to see solid research demonstrating this, the theory is sound.
And sometimes, the sperm just gets up there before the egg has finished its journey, and the attachment process gets activated too early. In other words, just unfortunate timing.
the uterus (womb) is the female reproductive organ and is found in the lower abdomen (belly). it has a fallopian tube on either side which lead to the ovaries (which produce egg cells) – however, the ovaries aren’t actually connected to the fallopian tubes. instead, they’re connected to the womb and the fallopian tubes massage an egg out of the ovary using finger-like structures.
in typical pregnancies, the egg is released into the fallopian tube, where fertilisation takes place. the fertilised egg then continues moving down the fallopian tube and implants in the endomedtrium (lining of the womb). wherever it implants is where the placenta and umbillical cord will develop, and it’s where the embryo will stay for the entirety of the pregnancy.
however, sometimes the fertilised egg implants in the fallopian tube, or outside of the uterus entirely (due to the ovaries and fallopian tubes not actually being connected to one another), somewhere else in the abdomen. these pregnancies are life-threatening to the mother, as these areas aren’t designed to stretch and grow with the baby like the inside of the uterus is, as well as not being designed to sustain a placenta, and not being designed to cope with the bleeding if the placenta becomes disconnected.
Another cause of ectopics is IUDs and history of STDs(like gonorrhea or chlamydia), since both can cause issues with the pregnancy being able to implant in the uterus properly.
Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, often in the fallopian tube. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as scar tissue, hormonal imbalances, or previous surgeries. It’s a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
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