Non-Surgical Options for Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment
In certain types of early ectopic pregnancies, a non-surgical treatment can be used. This
ectopic pregnancy treatment involves an injection of methotrexate, which dissolves the fertilized egg and allows your body to reabsorb it. Methotrexate does not harm the fallopian tubes and other organs. After being injected with methotrexate, repeat tests of your hCG levels will be taken to make that the pregnancy is dissolving and that further treatment is not needed. The abbreviation, "hCG," stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, which is the hormone the placenta makes in early pregnancy.
Only certain patients are candidates for ectopic pregnancy treatment with methotrexate. If your condition is not treatable with methotrexate, then surgery will be necessary.
Surgery as Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment
There are two types of surgery to treat an ectopic pregnancy.
The most common
ectopic pregnancy surgery is a laparoscopy. A laparotomy (open abdominal surgery) is less common. If an ectopic pregnancy treatment involves surgery, and only one fallopian tube is removed, the woman should still be able to become pregnant in the future if her other tube and ovary are normal. However, she will be at increased risk (about 10 to 20 percent) of having another ectopic pregnancy. The role of laparoscopy and laparotomy as ectopic pregnancy treatments is discussed in more detail below.
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