Normally, a pregnancy begins in a woman's fallopian tube. If a fertilized egg gets stuck in the tube, it may try to grow there. The tube will swell and may break open. This type of pregnancy is called a tubal or ectopic pregnancy. It is a medical emergency if the tube ruptures. The risk of a tubal pregnancy increases if the woman has had:
* an infection in her tubes and ovaries, called pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID,
* a previous surgery near her tube,
* a previous tubal pregnancy,
* certain birth control methods, like the minipill or having an IUD in place,
* endometriosis, a disease which causes scarring of the tubes,
* an abortion,
* a history of difficulty getting pregnant, or
* a pregnancy as a result of fertility drugs or in vitro fertilization.

You may not have any of these risks but still have an ectopic pregnancy. The signs to look for are suspected pregnancy with:
* sharp pain that comes and goes,
* unusual bleeding in early pregnancy,
* shoulder pain, and
* fainting.

If these occur, immediate care is needed. Tests to find out if a tubal pregnancy exists include:
* a pelvic exam,
* a pregnancy test, and
* a vaginal ultrasound, a probe that uses sound waves to find the pregnancy in the womb.

If a tubal pregnancy is found or suspected, a laparoscopy will be done. This is a minor surgery using a telescope-like tool that looks inside the body. The fallopian tubes can be seen and even operated on with this tool. This will remove the pregnancy and reduce the chance of bleeding. In very early cases, a drug may be used that destroys the growing tissue in the tube. These options will be reviewed by your doctor.

Once you have a tubal pregnancy, the chance is about 15 percent it will happen again with each future pregnancy.

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