What is Abdominal Pregnancy?
An abdominal pregnancy is a type of ectopic pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg begins to develop outside of the uterus. The developing fetus may attach itself to the inside of the fallopian tube (often called a tubal pregnancy), the cervix or the ovary. In rare cases, it may attach somewhere the abdominal cavity. This form of ectopic pregnancy is called an abdominal pregnancy. While there have been documented cases of full-term abdominal pregnancies, including one recently published in "Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation", most abdominal pregnancies pose serious health risks to the mother and must be terminated.
How Abdominal Pregnancy Occurs
There are a number of factors that can lead to an ectopic or an abdominal pregnancy. According to the National Institutes of Health, the main causes of any type of ectopic pregnancy are either a slowed passage down the fallopian tubes by the fertilized egg, or by blockages in the fallopian tubes. The Mayo Clinic reports that abdominal pregnancy can also occur if the fallopian tubes are misshapen or otherwise damaged. In some cases, fertilization simply takes place outside of the fallopian tubes and uterus altogether, and the cause is not certain.
Potential Causes of Abdominal Pregnancy
Inflammation and infection in the reproductive organs are the two leading causes of ectopic and abdominal pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. The National Institutes of Health report this as the leading cause in approximately 50 percent of all cases. Potential causes of inflammation and infection include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis or sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. Fallopian tube problems may also be caused by scarring, which can result from prior ectopic pregnancies or certain types of pelvic surgery. Misshapen fallopian tubes, a type of birth defect, may also account for some cases of abdominal pregnancy. Other possible causes include side effects of an appendix rupture or complications of tubal ligation (having one's tubes "tied").
Other Risks for Abdominal Pregnancy
Some women are at greater risk than others for developing an abdominal pregnancy. These include women who have had certain sexually transmitted diseases, other diseases of the reproductive organs or prior cases of ectopic pregnancy. However, the Mayo Clinic also reports that certain methods of birth control might also make a woman more susceptible to abdominal pregnancy. These include oral contraceptives and intrauterine devices or IUDs. Progesterone and estrogen, two main components of most birth control pills, are reported by the National Institutes of Health to slow down an egg's movement through the fallopian tube. Many IUD's also secrete progesterone, and may have the same effect. The risk for abdominal pregnancies may also be increased after having in vitro fertilization (IVF), or using the morning after pill.
Member Comments