IVF (In vitro fertilization) can be complicated, but there are numerous options available for preventing ectopic pregnancies with IVF. The doctors check out your fallopian tubes before popping that baby in and ensure to put them in the right spot so they stay in the womb.
In this article, we will look into some methods doctors follow to avoid ectopic pregnancy with IVF.
Ectopic Pregnancy Signs?
In an ectopic pregnancy, a pregnancy test might show positive. However, a woman may not see clear signs like missed periods or morning sickness. She might feel pain in her belly. Sometimes, bleeding occurs when the embryo grows in the wrong place. This can look like early signs of a normal period.
Is doing IVF a bad idea for ladies Who Have Had Previous Ectopic Pregnancies?
Women with a history of ectopic pregnancies should be careful when trying to get pregnant again. They need close monitoring throughout the process at fertility clinics if they consider IVF. The doctor should also check that future pregnancies grow inside the womb and not anywhere else outside it. This can happen even when everything else seems normal.
How to prevent Ectopic Pregnancy With IVF:
There are some ways in which you can avoid getting ectopic pregnancies, but they are not able to stop ectopic pregnancies.
Giving Up Smoking
There are several ways in which smoking is bad for one’s health, including being a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy. When a baby is placed in the uterus, there may be injuries that can stop it from implanting in the uterus.
If you smoke, try stopping or ask your health professional for assistance in quitting it. Quitting improves the odds during pregnancy as well as keeping future unborn children safe from harm.
Addressing Fallopian Tube Issues
Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes raise your risk of an ectopic pregnancy. This risk grows even higher if you’ve had one before. If you know you have fallopian tube problems, discuss treatment options with your fertility doctor before starting IVF. Some methods, such as tubal clipping or surgery, can lower the risk.
Careful Embryo Placement
Where your doctor places the baby during IVF is very important. If placed too high or too close to the top of the womb, it might not grow in the right place. Asking your doctor to guide the placement with ultrasound can help. This way, they can see better and reduce the chance of the baby start growing outside the womb.
Using Uterine Relaxants
If there’s a high chance of the baby start growing outside the womb, your doctor might give you medicine to help your womb relax. This makes it easier for the baby to stick to the right spot. If you’ve had this kind of pregnancy before or have other things that make it likely, talk to your doctor about what you can do.
Treat PIDs (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)
PID is a disease that might damage the fallopian tubes and other reproductive organs, which makes it easier for ectopic pregnancies to occur. PID needs quick treatment with antibiotics. This can stop damage to the fallopian tubes and lower the chance of an ectopic pregnancy during IVF.
Regular Check-ups and Early Detection
An ectopic pregnancy has a major impact on your health. Quick detection allows treatment before it leads to severe problems. Go to your planned IVF check-ups. Tell your doctor if you feel pain in your pelvic area or odd bleeding.
Signs of Ectopic Pregnancy
To know an ectopic pregnancy, you should identify its signs. Common symptoms include:
- Pains that are sharp or stabbing within one region of the lower belly or pelvis.
- Light or heavy bleeding from the vagina that does not resemble a regular period.
- You might feel sick, vomit often, have watery bowel movements or have a stomach ache.
- You may feel faintish and dizzy.
If you notice any of these signs, seek immediate medical attention.
What Happens If A Woman Has Ectopic Pregnancy?
Ectopic pregnancy requires prompt treatment. It cannot grow and must end. Available treatment options include:
- Methotrexate: A drug that stops embryo development.
- Surgery: Sometimes, doctors will have to surgically remove the embryo and repair damaged organs.
Most women with prior ectopic pregnancies can conceive healthy babies later on. After treatment, the doctor will monitor your hCG levels until they return to normal.
Conclusion
The risk of ectopic pregnancies can arise, but there are ways to reduce it during IVF treatment. To enhance your chances, it’s important to seek treatment for infections, give up smoking, and have doctors place embryos in appropriate locations.
Maintain contact with your fertility doctor and report any strange signs immediately. Professional assistance increases the possibility of a successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Compared to natural conception, IVF raises the chance of an ectopic pregnancy a lot. This is because there may be a chance that the embryo sticks anywhere else apart from the uterus, like fallopian tubes.
Yes, previous ectopic pregnancy does not stop someone from going through an IVF procedure. But you need to tell your doctor so that they will be able to closely monitor you and strengthen the measures taken to prevent this risk in future pregnancies.
The first step towards reducing this risk entails treating any diseases that may cause it and quitting smoking altogether. Also, doctors should use the right methods when performing the embryo transfer process. On top of this, regular check-ups and early detection are important in such scenarios.
