Ectopic pregnancy warning signs

Yesterday we looked at one worry of pregnancy - that your pregnancy may be ectopic. While ectopic pregnancy is rare, that doesn't mean that it can't happen and you should be aware of the warning signs. General warning signs of an ectopic pregnancy:

• Severe lower abdomen pain (almost always on one side only) starting anywhere from the 6th to 12th week of pregnancy.
• You may experience brown vaginal spotting or even some vaginal bleeding. Usually bleeding will come before you feel abdominal pain.
• Nausea and vomiting. Not a reliable sign, because plenty of women get morning sickness.
• Some women have shoulder pain or rectal pressure.
• If the tube ruptures you will experience very heavy bleeding. No matter the cause, heavy bleeding during a pregnancy always warrants a trip to the emergency room.

If you have any of the above signs and symptoms call your health care provider or head to the ER. Waiting too long to treat an ectopic pregnancy can cause later infertility and even death. Also, while the signs above may not always indicate an ectopic pregnancy, it's for sure that something is wrong so it still pays to visit your prenatal provider.