Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg attaches itself in a place other than inside the uterus. Most of them occur in a fallopian tube. Sometimes are called tubal pregnancies. The fertilized egg in a tubal pregnancy cannot develop normally and must be treated. An ectopic pregnancy happens in 1 out of 60 pregnancies.

Women who are more at risk for having an ectopic pregnancy include the following:

• Are 35-44 years of age
• Have had a previous ectopic pregnancy
• Have had pelvic or abdominal surgery
• Have Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
• Have had several induced abortions

Ectopic pregnancies are caused by one or more of the following:

• An infection or inflammation of the fallopian tube
• Scar tissue left behind from a previous infection.
• Previous surgery in the pelvic area or on the tubes can cause adhesion.
• An abnormality in the tube's shape can be caused by abnormal growths or a birth defect.

The following symptoms may be used to help recognize an ectopic pregnancy:

• Sharp pain in the pelvis, abdomen or even the shoulder and neck that may come and go and vary in intensity.
• Vaginal bleeding, heavier or lighter than your normal period
• Gastrointestinal symptoms
• Weakness, dizziness, or fainting

How is an ectopic pregnancy diagnosed?

Ectopic pregnancies are diagnosed by your physician, who will probably first perform a pelvic exam to locate pain, tenderness or a mass in the abdomen. Your physician will also use an ultrasound to determine whether the uterus contains a developing fetus.
An hCG level and progesterone that is lower than what would be expected is one reason to suspect an ectopic pregnancy.
Your physician may do a culdocentesis, which is a procedure that involves inserting a needle into the space at the very top of the vagina, behind the uterus and in front of the rectum.

An ectopic pregnancy may be treated in any of the following ways:

• Methotrexate may be given, which allows the body to absorb the pregnancy tissue and may save the fallopian tube.
• If the tube has become stretched or it has ruptured and started bleeding, all or part of the fallopian tube may have to be removed
• Laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia may be performed. This procedure involves a surgeon using a laparoscope to remove the ectopic pregnancy and repair or remove the affected fallopian tube
The chances of having a successful pregnancy after an ectopic pregnancy may be lower than normal but if the fallopian tubes have been left in place, you have approximately a 60% chance of having a successful pregnancy in the future.

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Food to avoid during pregnancy

There are certain foods that you should avoid when you're pregnant, because they might make you ill or harm your baby:

Dairy products
Dairy products such as skim milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese can be a healthy part of your diet. But anything containing unpasteurized milk is a no-no. These products may lead to food-borne illness.
Unless these soft cheeses are clearly labeled as being made with pasteurized milk, don't eat:
• Brie
• Feta
• Camembert
• Blue cheese
• Mexican-style cheeses, such as queso blanco, queso fresco, queso de hoja, queso de crema and queso asadero


Pâté
Avoid all types of pâté, including vegetable. This is because pate can contain listeria.

Raw or partially cooked eggs
Avoid eating raw eggs and food containing raw or partially-cooked eggs. This is to avoid the risk of salmonella, which causes a type of food poisoning.



Raw or undercooked meat
Make sure you only eat meat that has been well cooked. This is especially important with poultry and products made from minced meat, such as sausages and burgers. Make sure these are cooked until they are piping hot all the way through and no pink meat is left.

Always wash your hands after handling raw meat, and keep it separate from foods that are ready to eat. This is because raw meat contains bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Liver products and supplements containing vitamin A
Make sure you don't have too much vitamin A. This means you should avoid eating liver and liver products such as pâté and avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A or fish liver oils (which contain high levels of vitamin A). You need some vitamin A, but having too much means that levels could build up and may harm your unborn baby.

Some types of fish
You can eat most types of fish when you're pregnant. But there are a few types you should avoid and some others where you should limit the amount you eat.

Avoid eating any shark, swordfish and marlin. Limit the amount of tuna you eat to no more than two tuna steaks a week (weighing about 140g cooked or 170g raw) or four medium-size cans of tuna a week (with a drained weight of about 140g per can). This is because of the levels of mercury in these fish. At high levels, mercury can harm a baby's developing nervous system.

Have no more than two portions of oily fish a week. Oily fish includes fresh tuna (not canned tuna, which does not count as oily fish), mackerel, sardines and trout.

But remember that eating fish is good for your health and the development of your baby, so you should still aim to eat at least two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish.

Undercooked ready meals
Avoid eating ready meals that are undercooked. Make sure you heat them until they are piping hot all the way through.
Herbal tea
Although herbal tea may be soothing, avoid it unless your health care provider says it's OK — even the types of herbal tea marketed specifically to pregnant women. There's little data on the effects of specific herbs on developing babies. And large amounts of some herbal teas, such as red raspberry leaf, may cause contractions.


Alcohol and caffeine

When you’re pregnant, it’s best to stop drinking alcohol altogether.

You should limit the amount of caffeine you have each day, but you don't need to cut it out completely. Caffeine occurs naturally in a range of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate, and it's also added to some soft drinks and 'energy' drinks.

It's important not to have more than 300mg a day. This is because high levels of caffeine can result in babies having a low birth weight, or even miscarriage.

Each of these contains roughly 300mg of caffeine:
• 3 mugs of instant coffee (100mg each)
• 4 cups of instant coffee (75mg each)
• 3 cups of brewed coffee (100mg each)
• 6 cups of tea (50mg each)
• 8 cans of cola (up to 40mg each)
• 4 cans of 'energy' drink (up to 80mg each)
• 8 (50g) bars of plain chocolate (up to 50mg each). Caffeine in milk chocolate is about half that of plain chocolate
So if you eat a bar of plain chocolate and drink 3 cups of tea, a can of cola and a cup of instant coffee in a day, you'll have reached your 300mg limit.

Remember that caffeine is also found in certain cold and flu remedies.


Should I avoid peanuts?

Your baby may be at higher risk of developing a nut allergy if you, the baby's father, brothers or sisters have certain allergic conditions such as hay fever, asthma and/or eczema.

If your baby is in this higher-risk group, you may wish to avoid eating peanuts and peanut products when you're pregnant and breastfeeding.



Gardening and changing cat litter
Always wear gloves when you're gardening or changing cat litter, and wash your hands afterwards. This is to avoid toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by a parasite found in meat, cat faeces and soil. The infection can be harmful to unborn babies.

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Aspirin and Pregnancy

Almost any medication used during pregnancy can have some effect on your baby. Small doses of aspirin could be acceptable during pregnancy but put in mind that aspirin use can increase bleeding. Do not take any amount without discussing it with your doctor. Research has shown there may be situation in which aspirin use is beneficial. Very low dose of aspirin in the evening may be good insurance against some pregnancy complications, such us premature labor and high blood pressure. Baby aspirin contains 81 ½ mg. of aspirin may be prescribed. Usually it is taken early in the pregnancy before reaching the 16th week.


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What to eat when you're pregnant

During pregnancy you need to make sure that your diet is providing you with enough energy and nutrients for the baby to grow and develop, and for your body to deal with the changes taking place.
What to eat:
It's important to try to eat a variety of foods including:
• plenty of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or a glass of juice). Aim for at least five portions of a variety each day
• plenty of starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes - try to choose wholegrain options
• foods rich in protein such as lean meat and chicken, fish (aim for at least two servings of fish a week, including one of oily fish), eggs and pulses (such as beans and lentils). These foods are also good sources of iron (see 'Do I need extra iron?' below)
• plenty of fiber. This helps prevent constipation and is found in wholegrain bread, pasta, rice, pulses and fruit and vegetables
• dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt, which contain calcium
It's also a good idea to cut down on foods such as cakes and biscuits, because these are high in fat and sugar. This can also help you to avoid putting on too much weight during pregnancy.

Healthy snacks to have instead include malt loaf; currant buns without icing; sandwiches or pitta bread filled with cottage cheese, chicken or lean ham; low-fat yogurts; vegetable and bean soups; and fruit including fresh, tinned in juice or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots.
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Figuring your due date

1. Gestational age – menstrual age
2. Ovulatory age – fertilization age
3. Trimester
4. Lunar months

The beginning of your last periods the point from which the pregnancy is dated. The due date is important because helps your doctor determine when some test should be made. Also estimate baby growth and development. Pregnancy lasts about 280 days or 40 weeks, from the beginning of the last period. Have many ways of counting the due date and it depend what work fro you. For example you can count 280 from the first day of your period or count back three months from the first day of your period and add seven days this will give you an approximate date of delivery. Calculating pregnancy these ways gives you the menstrual cycle or more common gestational age. Most of the doctors keep track of the pregnancy by this method (gestational age).There is ovulatory age called also fertilization age, which is two weeks shorter and dated from the actual date of conceiving.

I believe it would be easy if we don’t get stuck with dates but we have a due week – a seven day period in which the delivery may occur. Very few women deliver on their due day (only 5 %) so the rest of us may feel more quiet if we have a whole week margin for the delivery.
For me was easier way to count was by weeks. Some woman count pregnancy by trimesters. This divides pregnancy into three periods, each about 13 weeks.
You may even hear about lunar months. A pregnancy lasts an average of 10 lunar months ( 28 days each).

Don’t forget that babies have their own plans. Think of your due date as a goal – a time to look forward to and to prepare. You are experience one of the great miracles in life so enjoy it.