Ectopic Pregnancy–What You Need To Know If You’re Intended Parents Or A Potential Surrogate on the Surrogacy Journey
Have you ever experienced an ectopic pregnancy?
If you haven’t, then you might wonder what an ectopic pregnancy is. Whether you’re a woman looking to become a mother or a woman thinking about becoming a surrogate, an ectopic condition can be a problem.
This article will discuss what is an ectopic pregnancy and how it affects your ability to become a surrogate.
Ectopic Pregnancies: Overview
This form of pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg attaches somewhere that isn’t the uterus. In most cases, the egg ends up being attached inside of the fallopian tube. Because of that, an ectopic pregnancy is often called tubal pregnancy.
The fallopian tube does not support a healthy pregnancy. It wasn’t made to grow and develop a baby. If the fetus starts to develop there, then it can have disastrous consequences for the mother or surrogate mother.
At the first sign of an ectopic condition, the egg has to be removed.
How often do ectopic pregnancies occur? This condition occurs in one out of every fifty pregnancies.
Ectopic Pregnancies: Causes
There are a few causes that can lead to ectopic pregnancies.
Sometimes an infection can occur in the body. This forces the fallopian tube to become inflamed. It can become blocked either partially or fully. In so doing, the fertilized egg can become blocked inside of it and end up attaching to the tube.
Women who have had surgical procedures performed better and have scarring from it are more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy occur. The scar tissue is bumpy and malformed. It can cause the egg to have difficulty moving through the tube. Even a previous infection can still cause an inflamed tube to impede the movement of the egg and keep it trapped inside.
Adhesions that have occurred either due to surgery or other problems can also result in ectopic conditions. The egg can become trapped in those adhesions or be blocked from moving past them.
Finally, it can occur due to abnormal growths. The growths can make the tube form an odd shape that makes it impossible for the egg to move down. Birth defects can also result in a misshaped tube. Intended mothers who suffer from a tube misshape may need to rely on surrogacy in order to have a baby of their own. It could be virtually impossible for the egg to reach the uterus.
Risk Factors
Besides causes, there are also risk factors that might make you more subjective about receiving ectopic pregnancies. Those risk factors include the following. If you are 35-44 years of age, you might be more at risk. This is the latter part of your fertility cycle. It can be more difficult to become pregnant at this age even without ectopic conditions.
If you have experienced ectopic pregnancies in the past, then you are more likely to receive them in the future. Intended mothers may want to look for a “surrogacy near me” in order to find a surrogate to carry their baby. It is unlikely that they will be able to carry a baby if they continue to experience ectopic pregnancies.
Another risk factor is a previous surgery that has been performed in the abdominal area. This can result in scarring that makes ectopic eggs possible.
If you are looking to become a surrogate, then you should limit as much abdominal surgery as possible for yourself.
If you suffer from Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, then you might be more likely to receive ectopic pregnancies. This condition is a disease that can cause your body to inflame–including your fallopian tubes. Prospective surrogate mothers should have their medical records on hand to indicate that they do not suffer from this disease.
For women who have experienced several induced abortions, you’re also at risk for ectopic pregnancies. Women who are interested in becoming a surrogate should ensure that they meet all of Made in the USA Surrogacy’s surrogate qualifications and limit the number of abortions and C-sections that they go through. Some surrogate agencies in California may have disqualifications related to abortions or other procedures, so make sure to check with the agency you are applying to become a surrogate for.
As a means of birth control, some women choose to undergo tubal ligation. Commonly referred to as, “having your tubes tied,” your fallopian tubes are adjusted in such a way that prevents easy fertilization. In the event that you still manage to conceive after tubal ligation has occurred, it will likely be ectopic. The presence of an IUD can also increase the chances of ectopic pregnancies.
As with most health factors, smoking always increases your risk of not having a healthy pregnancy.
If you’re a surrogate looking for a surrogate agency in California, then you should cease smoking and ensure that you are safe from secondhand smoke.
Endometriosis can also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancies. Because it involves the process of the lining growing outside of the uterus, it can sometimes block the fallopian tube. This keeps the egg trapped inside of the tube.
Sometimes fertility medications can also increase the chances of ectopic pregnancies. If you’re someone struggling with fertility, then it might be a safer option to look for a surrogate by using our surrogate agency located in the Sacramento area of Roseville, CA.
We are equipped to find a surrogate who is ready to have your child, without the complications of ectopic pregnancies and other issues that may have caused you to search for a surrogacy agency near you.
Symptoms
Because ectopic pregnancies can be extremely dangerous, it’s important that you know the symptoms of one.
One of the most indicative signs is a stabbing pain. This pain may come and go. It can also vary in its intensity. This pain can occur in the abdominal area, the pelvic area, and can even occur in the shoulder and neck area. When it occurs in the shoulder and neck area, it’s due to the ectopic condition rupturing. It gathers just beneath the diaphragm.
Another sign of ectopic conditions is if you have vaginal bleeding. The key thing to note here is that the bleeding is either heavier or lighter than what your period typically gives.
You may also notice that you have gastrointestinal problems. You may notice that you are more constipated or that you’ve developed symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Bloating, gas and changes between constipation and diarrhea may all occur.
You may experience a sense of weakness or feel as though you’re dizzy to the point of fainting.
Also, we have heard of ectopic pregnancies that are diagnosed from pregnancy test mishaps. If perhaps your pregnancy test registers that you are not pregnant, then 2 weeks later you are pregnant, there could be the presence of ectopic pregnancy due to the abnormalities in your hormone registers.
Get to a doctor quickly if the pain increases and your pregnancy test results seemed abnormal.
Diagnosis
If you suspect that you are ectopic, then it’s important to see your doctor straight away.
They’ll be able to test whether you have ectopic conditions or not. The first method they will likely utilize is an ultrasound. They’ll be able to see if the fetus is inside of the uterus or trapped in the fallopian tube. Your hCG levels may also be tested. If those levels come back as lower than appropriate, then you might be ectopic.
Finally, your progesterone levels will be checked.
Surrogacy and Ectopic Pregnancies
If you’re thinking of becoming a surrogate and have experienced one or multiple ectopic pregnancies in the past, you might be worried if a surrogate agency will accept you.
Do ectopic pregnancies reflect poorly on your medical records?
Surrogates typically don’t have to worry too much about ectopic pregnancies. While you are required to have been able to carry a baby full-term before being accepted into a surrogacy agency in California, if you experience ectopic pregnancies after, it doesn’t matter as much.
This is because the surrogate’s fallopian tubes aren’t utilized in the process of surrogacy.
Traditionally, surrogacy in California involves the surrogate mother receiving an embryo transplant through IVF from the intended parents. It completely bypasses their own fallopian tube as the embryo is placed directly in their uterus.
As long as their uterus accepts the embryo, then you can usually expect a healthy pregnancy to follow. Also, our surrogacy agency will be looking for signs that you have had successful births following your ectopic pregnancy(ies) that will indicate that your body still accepts the presence of an embryo and can follow the correct process of birth to a healthy end.
The process of surrogacy can be quite simple provided the surrogate is in good health and hasn’t had any other damage done to her uterus. If there is damage present in the uterus or in other parts of the body that will make the baby’s development difficult, then they might not be considered a great candidate for a surrogacy agency in California.
Essentially, if you are a woman looking to try out surrogacy in California and you’ve experienced ectopic pregnancies in the past, so long as you had a successful birth and don’t possess abdominal scarring, blockages, or other health concerns in regards to the uterus, then you are a good candidate for surrogacy and you should not hesitate to reach out to us by filling out our form here.
If you are a parent who has experienced an ectopic pregnancy or multiple ectopic pregnancies- we encourage you to look into finding a surrogate with our agency.
We will walk you through the process step-by-step and find a surrogate who is a suitable match for your family! Please fill out our inquiry here if you are a parent looking for a surrogate.
