Home / Welcome to Laurie’s Big Blog – March 2026

Welcome to Laurie’s Big Blog – March 2026

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Every month, we will identify the most commonly asked questions about ectopic pregnancy and answer them. If you have any further questions that you cannot find the answer to on the website, please contact us.

Does the shoulder pain from an ectopic pregnancy occur in the right or left shoulder?

Shoulder tip pain occurs when lying flat and is the result of blood in the abdomen leaking behind the diaphragm causing irritation and referred pain to the shoulder tip . Depending on which side you lie on will have an affect on which side the pain occurs.  More information can be found on our Signs of Ectopic Pregnancy page.

How can I get emotional support?

The emotional impact varies from person to person.  It may have profound and long-lasting psychological effects which may be overlooked. It is something that can be difficult to diagnose and treat. The majority of council websites deal with miscarriage of still births   You also can make contact with your GP to find out what help is available to you, locally or otherwise.
The Ectopic Pregnancy Foundation continues to raise funds to provide services.  We don’t get any central funding but rely on charitable donations and any donations would be gratefully received and would go to patient support see how to donate on the ectopic pregnancy foundation website.

Can an ectopic pregnancy have a heartbeat?

In an inter uterine pregnancy cardiac activity can sometimes be seen at about 6 weeks gestation. With a transvaginal scan it is very uncommon to see cardiac pulsation besides the the uterus in the adnexa . If it is detected this is considered to be a contradiction for the use of medical treatment with methotrexate. See symptoms and treatments on the Ectopic Pregnancy Foundation website.

How can you detect an ectopic pregnancy at home?

An ectopic pregnancy cannot be diagnosed at home and if you consider that you have an ectopic pregnancy you should seek medical attention without delay.  Find out more about what to do if you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy – click here.
A home pregnancy urine test will show a positive result for pregnancy but no indication as to the sire of the pregnancy.

What are the chances of having a second ectopic pregnancy?

After a first ectopic pregnancy, subsequent pregnancies are inter-uterine, and the recurrent rate is quoted at about 18%. As this is the case, it is important in a subsequent pregnancy to be seen by health care professionals and a vaginal scan may be undertaken to locate the site of the pregnancy. See recurrence rates on the Ectopic Pregnancy Foundation website.