Every month we will identify the most commonly asked questions about ectopic pregnancy and answer them. If you have any further questions which you cannot find answers to on the website, please can you contact us.
What is the most common site for ectopic pregnancy?
In a normal pregnancy, the fertilised egg moves from the Fallopian tube into the womb, where it implants, and the pregnancy develops. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilised egg can implant and start to develop in a number of locations outside the womb. See Sites of Ectopic Pregnancy for more information.
How long does it take to recover after ectopic pregnancy?
Physical recovery depends on what type of surgery you had, either laparoscopic (keyhole) or laparotomy (open surgery). See Surgical Management of Ectopic Pregnancy for more information.
With laparoscopic surgery you usually stay in hospital overnight and are then discharged. Recovery tends to be quick and usually you feel better and back to normal activity within a few days.
If you have had open surgery, recovery takes longer as the surgical scar (usually bekine line) takes time to heal and may require analgesics. It is usually suggested that you should refrain from driving for six weeks post-operatively.
Psychological recovery is complicated and depends on the individual and may take many months. See Psychological Impact of Ectopic Pregnancy for more information.
Is it common to feel depressed after ectopic pregnancy?
An ectopic pregnancy can have a profound psychological effect, which maybe sadness, grief, depression , and sometimes anger. See Your Feelings Following an Ectopic Pregnancy for more information.
What is scar ectopic pregnancy?
A Caesarean Scar ectopic pregnancy is a non-tubal ectopic pregnancy and is one of the rarest forms of ectopic pregnancies. See Caesarean Scar Ectopic Pregnancy for more information:
When was ectopic pregnancy discovered?
The first reported case of an ectopic pregnancy diagnosed and treated surgically was in England in 1883 by Mr Lawson Tait. He performed a laparotomy and removal of the Fallopian tube containing the ectopic pregnancy (a salpingectomy). See our page on Lawson Tait, The Forgotten Gynaecologist for more information.
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