How to Cope With an Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy is a devastating situation. This type of pregnancy, which develops outside the uterus-usually in a fallopian tube-occurs in 1 percent to 2.5 percent of pregnancies. This is a difficult situation to deal with, since the growing baby is usually healthy but just growing in the wrong area. A woman dealing with an ectopic pregnancy needs to allow herself to cope as she would with any pregnancy loss.

Instructions

1. Confirm the diagnosis. In the early stages of pregnancy, especially if the doctor uses an older ultrasound machine, confirmation of an ectopic pregnancy can be a bit difficult. Most doctors perform at least one further ultrasound to confirm the ectopic pregnancy, as well as to get a precise location of the baby. If your doctor doesn't do this, don't be afraid to ask for it.

2. Discuss the course of treatment with your doctor. It's easy to become overwhelmed with the situation and being an active participant in this step can help you to feel more in control. If possible, a less invasive procedure, such as laparoscopic surgery, helps lessen your physical healing process. The earlier the diagnosis of the ectopic pregnancy, the better your chances are for keeping the surgery minimal and damage to the fallopian tube minor.

3. Allow yourself to grieve. Though friends and family may not fully grasp this fact, this is a real pregnancy with a real baby. To compound this fact, many babies in ectopic pregnancies have no abnormalities aside from implanting in the wrong spot. Give yourself license to grieve for the loss of this child as you would the loss of any pregnancy.

4. Avoid blaming yourself. The reasons for ectopic pregnancies are often unknown and there may be nothing to blame but chance. Also, realize that there was little to no chance that the pregnancy could have survived, even if you hadn't had a procedure to end it. Without intervention, chances are good that you would have died along with your baby.

5. Give yourself time to heal, both physically and emotionally. If possible, take time off work. Unlike many miscarriages, you'll be recovering from a surgery along with healing from the emotional and psychological wounds of the ordeal. You'll also be dealing with hormonal disturbances, as your body attempt to return to pre-pregnancy levels. Don't be afraid to look for support and allow others to help you.

6. Look to the future. Though no child can replace the one you lost, you can have a perfectly healthy pregnancy after an ectopic pregnancy. There's a 15 percent chance of a second ectopic pregnancy, depending heavily on the condition of the fallopian tube. To increase your chances of a healthy pregancy, make sure you find out all information about how the ectopic pregnancy and resulting surgery affected your fallopian tube.