Can You Have Two Ectopic Pregnancies At The Same Time?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can you have two ectopic pregnancies at the same time?

Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare complication in which both an extra-uterine (ectopic pregnancy) and an intrauterine pregnancy occur simultaneously

. In common person terms, it’s two pregnancies happening at the same time, one in the uterus and one outside the uterus.

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Can you have 2 ectopic pregnancies?

Your risk of having another ectopic pregnancy is much higher once you’ve had the first;

as many as one in 10 women will have a second ectopic pregnancy

. The increased risk is probably about the same whether your ectopic was treated with surgery or medication, though it’s too early to have much data on this.

What are the odds of having two ectopic pregnancies?

previous ectopic pregnancy – the risk of having another ectopic pregnancy is

around 10%

What causes multiple ectopic pregnancy?

A tubal pregnancy — the most common type of ectopic pregnancy — happens when

a fertilized egg gets stuck on its way to the uterus, often because the fallopian tube is damaged by inflammation or is misshapen

. Hormonal imbalances or abnormal development of the fertilized egg also might play a role.

Can you have ectopic pregnancy and a viable pregnancy at the same time?


A heterotopic pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which both extrauterine (ectopic) pregnancy and intrauterine pregnancy occur simultaneously

. It may also be referred to as a combined ectopic pregnancy, multiple‐sited pregnancy, or coincident pregnancy.

What are 3 causes of an ectopic pregnancy?

  • inflammation and scarring of the fallopian tubes from a previous medical condition, infection, or surgery.
  • hormonal factors.
  • genetic abnormalities.
  • birth defects.
  • medical conditions that affect the shape and condition of the fallopian tubes and reproductive organs.

Can a man’s sperm cause ectopic pregnancy?

Based on findings in both animal and human models, we proposed the hypothesis that sperm defects may be associated with the expression of paternal genes which cause abnormal early embryo development and predispose the embryos to interact inappropriately with the genital tract epithelium, and so increase the risk of an …

Who is more prone to ectopic pregnancy?

In the current investigation, we demonstrated that the risk of ectopic pregnancy increases in

women over 30 years of age

. Similarly, in a case-control study by Karaer et al., they have found that an increase in rate of ectopic pregnancy coincides with an increase in the age of women before reaching age 40 (13).

What is the greatest risk factor for ectopic pregnancy?

Age – Risk of an ectopic pregnancy increases steadily with age, with

moms over 40

having the highest risk. Elective abortions – Women who have had two or more elective abortions may have a slightly increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy, though the research on this is inconclusive.

What are the early warning signs for an ectopic pregnancy?

  • Nausea and vomiting with pain.
  • Sharp abdominal cramps.
  • Pain on one side of your body.
  • Dizziness or weakness.
  • Pain in your shoulder, neck, or rectum.

Can u have twins with one fallopian tube?

Ectopic pregnancy is an extrauterine pregnancy, and 98% of which occur in the fallopian tube. The incidence of twin tubal pregnancy is rare but is increasing due to assisted reproductive technology.

Spontaneous unilateral twin tubal pregnancy is extremely rare, and only a small number of case reports have been made.

What were your hCG levels with ectopic?

Absence of an intrauterine gestational sac on abdominal ultrasound in conjunction with a β-hCG level of

greater than 6,500 mIU per mL

suggests the presence of an ectopic pregnancy.

Does an ectopic pregnancy count as a miscarriage?

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a pregnancy develops outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes.

An ectopic embryo will not survive and the pregnancy will miscarry

.

Has any baby survived an ectopic pregnancy?

Doctors have hailed as a “miracle” the birth of a baby who beat odds of 60m to one to become the first to develop outside the womb and live.

Not only did the baby boy and his mother survive an ectopic pregnancy – but so did two other baby girls.

When do ectopic pregnancy pains start?

Women with an ectopic pregnancy may have irregular bleeding and pelvic or belly (abdominal) pain. The pain is often just on 1 side. Symptoms often happen

6 to 8 weeks after the last normal menstrual period

. If the ectopic pregnancy is not in the fallopian tube, symptoms may happen later.

How soon can ultrasound detect ectopic?

Levels of this hormone increase during pregnancy. This blood test may be repeated every few days until ultrasound testing can confirm or rule out an ectopic pregnancy — usually

about five to six weeks after conception

.

How can I avoid another ectopic pregnancy?


You may have your fallopian tube removed (known as a salpingectomy)

. This will reduce the risk of having another ectopic pregnancy next time. If you only have 1 tube or your other tube does not look healthy, you may be advised to have a salpingotomy.

Can an ectopic pregnancy move to the uterus on its own?


An ectopic pregnancy cannot move or be moved to the uterus

, so it always requires treatment. There are two methods used to treat an ectopic pregnancy: 1) medication and 2) surgery.

What does ectopic pain feel like?

Often, the first warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy are pain or vaginal bleeding. There might be pain in the pelvis, abdomen, or even the shoulder or neck (if blood from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy builds up and irritates certain nerves). The pain can range from

mild and dull to severe and sharp

.

How can you rule out an ectopic pregnancy?

Vaginal ultrasound

An ectopic pregnancy is usually diagnosed by

carrying out a transvaginal ultrasound scan

.

Where is the most common place for an ectopic pregnancy to occur?

Ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy in which the developing blastocyst becomes implanted at a site other than the endometrium of the uterine cavity. The most common extrauterine location is the

fallopian tube

, which accounts for 96 percent of all ectopic gestations (picture 1A-B) [1].

What percentage of ectopic pregnancies result in death?

Only 1%–2% of pregnancies in the United States are ectopic, yet these pregnancies account for

3%–4%

of pregnancy-related deaths. The ectopic pregnancy mortality ratio in the United States decreased from 1.15 deaths per 100,000 live births during 1980–1984 to 0.50 during 2003–2007. What is added by this report?

What happens if 2 eggs are released but only one is fertilized?

3.

A fraternal twin pregnancy

occurs when two eggs are released during ovulation, and both eggs are fertilized. Usually, only one egg is released during ovulation. However, the ovaries sometimes release two eggs at once.

Which ovary produces a girl?

In the normal female the ovary of the right side yields ova which on fertilization develop as males, and

the ovary of the left side

yields ova which are potentially female.

Can one ovary release two eggs at the same time?

Only one ovulation can happen per cycle.

You can, however, ovulate two (or more) eggs at the same time

. When this happens, there is the potential to conceive fraternal (non-identical) twins if both eggs are fertilized. But having two separate eggs released at different times within the same cycle doesn’t happen.

How long can an ectopic pregnancy last before it ruptures?

However, because tissues outside the uterus cannot provide the necessary blood supply and support, ultimately the fetus does not survive. The structure containing the fetus typically ruptures after about

6 to 16 weeks

, long before the fetus is able to live on its own.

Does ectopic pregnancy have heartbeat?

Can ectopic pregnancy have a heartbeat?

On transvaginal scan it is rare to see an ectopic pregnancy with a beating fetal heart

, but this is important for the management. If a heartbeat is seen then conservative, or drug treatment with methotrexate is contra indicated, and surgical treatment is the only option.

Is an ectopic pregnancy considered a rainbow baby?


A rainbow baby is a baby born after miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, termination for medical reasons, stillbirth or neonatal death

. The rainbow symbol has been used by members of the baby loss community for many years.

Is ectopic worse than miscarriage?

What shot do they give you for ectopic pregnancy?


Methotrexate

is a type of medicine that stops cells from dividing. It can be used as a way (other than surgery) to treat a pregnancy that’s implanted outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy). It’s given by injection, and usually just 1 dose is given.

Can a baby survive heterotopic pregnancy?


Any fetus located outside the uterus cannot survive

, and its presence could cause potentially life-threatening bleeding in the mother if a tissue spontaneously ruptures. As a result, these pregnancies must be terminated.

How can I reduce the risk of ectopic pregnancy?

How rare is a heterotopic pregnancy?

[4] In natural conception cycles, heterotopic pregnancy is a rare event, occurring in

<1/30,000 pregnancies

. [5–7] It occurs in about 0.08% of all pregnancies. [8] With assisted reproduction techniques, however, this incidence increases to between 1/100 and 1/500.

How is heterotopic pregnancy treated?

Heterotopic pregnancy treatment needs

laparoscopy and, most often, a salpingectomy or salpingostomy

. However, in hemodynamically unstable cases, laparotomy may be needed. Systemic methotrexate has no role in the management of heterotopic pregnancy due to the presence of a viable intrauterine pregnancy.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.