When do you go past the Ectopic stage?

Hi All

Just a question as I am worried, when do you go past the Ectopic stage? I'm just worried that something bad is going to happen, I know I'm probably just being paranoid, but I have had a little bit of a niggling pain on my left side, nothing bad, but I'm a little paranoid about it, is this normal at all. Would I know if there was something wrong? If I did have an ectopic pregnancy would I know by now? Would I be in lots of pain? Please someone help put my mind at rest.

Bec

Hi Bec,

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Don't stress.

Ectopics usually reveal themselves by 6-7 weeks max of pregnancy. That is because the tube can only accomodate so much and if the pregnancy was to continue further it would cause your tube to rupture and then you would have lots of pain, and believe me you would know about it.

The niggle at your left side may be nothing more than your corpus luteum (or the 'cyst') from which the egg that has made your baby came from at ovulation. The corpus luteum is responsible for making all the necessary hormones for continuation of pregnancy until the placenta takes over at about 8-10 weeks. The corpus stays around until about 20 weeks but gets smaller.

If you are concerned than the best way to ease your concern is to discuss it with your GP and ask him/her to refer you for an U/S (will need to be a transvaginal) to ensure that the baby is inside your uterus. This is unfortunatelly the only way to make sure.

I think some of the other girls also experienced similar pains on one or other side and have been told the above by their doctors too.

Hope it helps,

Thanks Gabby

That does help a bit. I'm just extra worried because I don't have the time DH and I are due to fly out to Italy on the 27th and I would just hate for something to go wrong whilst not in my home country and I don't have time if there was something wrong now. I'm probably just paranoid, I have no reason to think that I will have an ectopic pregnancy I'm just frightened of something going wrong. But you have made me feel heaps better. Can you tell me though about how high should my hcg level be around this time in my pregnancy, I'd like to have some idea before I have my blood tests done and get the results if I know what's good then I can be happy when the doctor tells me the results.

Thank you heaps
Bec

Bec,

There is no right or wrong number for BHCG, I guess is the answer to your questions.

There are general guides as to how high the no should be, but remember EVERY woman is DIFFERENT and every woman has different levels of BHCG, so it is not so much the NUMBER we look at, more the TREND.

So, as long as your BHCG is rising then that is all that is important.

So, what you need is a baseline number and then repeat it a week later if it still concerns you, and as long as it is roughly doubled than all is well.

I don't have the right book with me to give you the numbers but you can just search the internet on BHCG levels and pregnancy and you'll get flooded with tables.

Remember though, even if your 'number' is not like what is in the table it is the trend that matters.

Thanks Gabby

I will do some reasearch.

Bec

I still get a little tender on my left side, I may not notice it until DH or I touch the area, it`s just tender not painfull, keep forgetting to ask my OB about it - I must try to remember next week. Thanks Gabby for the info sounds like it has answered my question as well as Becs.

Take Care

Deeanne

No problems Deanne!!