To prevent this sort of complication, if you have an ectopic pregnancy you 'll usually need a small operation to remove the embryo. If a tear has already happened, you may need emergency surgery to stop the bleeding, which might mean removing one of your fallopian tubes.
Signs that your pregnancy might be ectopic include:
Cramps and bleeding, which you might think are your normal period. This could also be a miscarriage.
Severe pain, on one side of your lower abdomen.
If you suspect you have an ectopic pregnancy, make an urgent appointment with your GP.
If the fallopian tube splits, you may experience serious symptoms including:
sudden, severe pain that gradually spreads throughout the abdomen,
pain in the shoulder, caused by blood leaking into the abdomen and irritating the muscles of the diaphragm,
shock caused by sudden internal bleeding,
sweating, light-headedness and feeling faint, and diarrhoea or blood in the stools.
If you have got a positive result from a pregnancy test, or suspect you 're pregnant, and you have these symptoms, you may need emergency treatment. Seek urgent medical help from your local Accident and Emergency unit.
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