Ectopic Pregnancy Concerns: Symptoms and What to Do

Question
Hello. I have had an ectopic pregnancy before. Now, I believe that I may be pregnant again. Before, my obgyn said there was no need for DNC, because my body pushed it out. I am concerned that I am having another. I am experiencing frequent urination, sore breasts, and the other day I got nauseated while working when I got too hot. The one thing that bothers me is that I feel this pain or soreness in the left side of my abdomen. Could this be another evil ectopic pregnancy? Could I ever have a baby? Oh, yea! If I am pregnant, I am only one week along! Is it possible to have symptoms this early if I am experiencing an ectopic pregnancy? Thank you so much for your knowledge.

Answer
Dear Danielle,

One week after conception would make you approximately three weeks pregnant (FYI) - and yes, that would be pretty early to have symptoms related to a pregnancy, although it has happened before. The symptoms you describe are hormonal in nature and can also be related to hormone fluctuations within your cycle. That is why it so difficult to "diagnose" a pregnancy based on symptoms alone.

You will need to test for pregnancy to know for sure. Although some tests claim accuracy on the first day of a missed period, I usually suggest that women wait until the week after a missed or spotty period before testing for pregnancy. This tends to minimize the incidence of false negative results and also avoids wasting money on a test for a simple delay of a period by a few days. When/if you test make sure to use 1st morning urine to get a concentrated sample for the most accurate results.

With your history of an ectopic pregnancy and the left-sided pain, it will be very important to see your OB doctor as soon as possible to rule out a pregnancy with an ultrasound IF you do not have a regular period when you next expect it.

As to whether you will be able to have an intrauterine pregnancy in the future - the chances of having a successful pregnancy after an ectopic pregnancy can be slightly lower than normal, but it really depends on why the pregnancy was ectopic and your medical history. As long as your fallopian tubes are clear and fully functioning, you can conceive a normal intrauterine pregnancy.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well and apologize for the delay - unfortunately I have been dealing with a personal family crisis.

Brenda