Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Ectopic Pregnancy
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Prevention & Expectations
What can be done to prevent the condition?
Not every ectopic pregnancy can be prevented. However, a woman should avoid risk factors that make ectopic pregnancy more likely to occur, including:
If a woman who has had a tubal ligation has a positive pregnancy test, she probably has an ectopic pregnancy. She needs further tests right away.
Four of out 10 ectopic pregnancies occur in women between 20 and 29 years old. Over 75% of these cases are diagnosed before the 12th week of pregnancy.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
A woman's symptoms will last and grow worse as long as the ectopic pregnancy exists. A rupture causes more pain and serious problems if not diagnosed and treated. These problems can include:
When surgery is done to treat a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, a later, normal pregnancy is possible in about half of the cases. In the other cases, infertility occurs.
What are the risks to others?
An ectopic pregnancy is not contagious. It poses risks only to the mother and the fetus.