The former reality TV candidate has announced that she was recently hospitalized for an ectopic pregnancy, a rare phenomenon and little known to the general public.
- We speak of an ectopic pregnancy when an embryo develops without having reached the uterus.
- These pregnancies that cannot go to term put the mother at risk of fatal bleeding.
- Since the symptoms are often not visible until late, the diagnosis can be difficult to make.
Former reality TV candidate Mélanie Da Cruz revealed on the social network Instagram to have experienced an ectopic pregnancy. The phenomenon is caused by the embryo that has not developed in the right place. Its probability not exceeding 2%, the phenomenon is very little known to the general public.
Rare, painful and difficult to detect, these are the perfect words to explain what an Extra Uterine Pregnancy, or EP, is. If we want to be more precise, this phenomenon is due to the development of the embryo outside the uterus. In the majority of cases, more than 90%, the pregnancy takes place in the fallopian tubes, the embryo having failed to pass into the uterus. In these cases, we speak of a tubal pregnancy. But extra-tubal pregnancy, ie an embryo developing in a cavity other than the fallopian tubes, and even rarer but quite possible (ovary, abdomen, etc.). An ectopic pregnancy cannot go to term, but above all it puts the mother at great risk. If the egg is not removed immediately, the cavity in which it develops may burst, causing internal bleeding which can be fatal.
Very late symptoms
The problem in cases of ectopic pregnancy is that the symptoms vary enormously and are not visible until quite late, hence many diagnostic errors. In the first weeks, there is scanty and abnormal vaginal bleeding (of a darker color, black or brown) or abdominal pain. Dizziness or fever are also possible. But it is when the tubes (or cavity) rupture that the symptoms become more striking. The pain and bleeding increase enormously and a drop in blood pressure appears. The latter causes other symptoms similar to shock (sweating, paleness, fainting). It is in these cases that the intervention becomes urgent.
If the detection seems complicated, it is improving more and more and the GEU manage to be detected using blood tests or ultrasound sometimes even before the person learns of her pregnancy. This is identified by the presence of a certain amount of blood in the pelvic or abdominal cavity. The low presence of a certain pregnancy hormone (chronic gonadotropic hormone or hCG) is possibly an indication.
Smoking, the main risk factor
Among the risk factors that can explain EP in a woman, one of the most important is smoking. It also includes operations or infections in the genital areas, such as STIs. The IUD is also a factor, especially if the person was wearing it when they became pregnant. Several abortions, endometriosis, advanced age, history of pregnancy loss, etc. are also risk factors.
However, treatments exist. At first, it is entirely possible for the pregnancy to end on its own. If this is not the case, the treatment can be medicinal or surgical. The first is based on the methotrexate molecule which will interrupt the development of the embryo. The second, which involves removal of the fallopian tube, is more often used when the pregnancy is too advanced or the fallopian tube has been damaged.
To conclude, it is important to say that it is possible to get pregnant again despite a GEU. However, it is essential to know the cause of this ectopic pregnancy before considering a new pregnancy.
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