Pain on Ectopic Side

Preparing For Your Next Pregnancy
1

Hello everyone,

I had an ectopic pregnancy in January that resolved by itself with expected management.

I have had one normal period and looking forward to starting to ttc again after my second period.

I’m on CD9 and I’m tracking ovulation with LH strips. I haven’t had a peak yet but for the last few days I’ve been getting prickly pains on my right side where I had the ectopic.

I’m not sure if I’m overthinking or it’s just my anxiety but is it normal to feel pain on the ectopic side? Could I still be healing or is this a sign that my tube is damaged? I feel I didn’t get a lot of support after I was discharged I was just told to wait 2 cycles and I can try again.

With this pain I’m feeling anxious for when I can start trying again incase there is damage and it causes me to have another ectopic.

Xx

2

Dear Murphy,

I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy loss,

Following an ectopic pregnancy, it is not unusual to feel pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen. Awareness of such feelings can also be heightened as a result of the experience of pregnancy loss and because of the frightening and distressing experience you had to go through. There are a number of reasons why you may be aware of the aches in your abdominal area:

It could be that your normal cycle is trying to resume and the pain you are experiencing may be due to your body preparing to ovulate, or your period might be about to arrive

It could be that your awareness of your menstrual cycle and your ovulation have been heightened. Many women report that they are aware of ovulation pain after an ectopic, when they never experienced it before

It might simply be down to heightened perception and awareness because of the experience you have been through of your previous ectopic pregnancy

The wait before trying to conceive also allows time for an inflammation in the tubes to settle. Sadly we cannot prevent ectopic pregnancy but 90% of women go on to have a successful pregnancy following ectopic pregnancy.

It is normal to feel anxious about the future. We experience a mix of emotions from wanting to try again to being petrified of what may lie ahead. We never forget, but we can learn to accept what happened. It is a slow process that might be weeks or months ahead. In time, we can get to a place where we feel comfortable trying again. When this is, is individual for each person. There is no timeframe for recovery, take each day as it comes. Importantly early scans avail. As soon as you know you are pregnant, contact your local EPU to inform them and book in for an early scan at around six weeks. Remind them of your previous ectopic pregnancy. This self refer route is the best route in our view. Hopefully you will have some comfort to know you are under the radar of medical professionals right away.

Sending much love,

Karen x

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3

Hey,

I have also had an ectopic pregnancy which was treated with two rounds of methotrexate last year in June. I have had pinching pain on that side ever since. My doctor said, unfortunately, it’s normal as that area is just much more sensitive now.

To give you a little bit of peace of mind, I’ve gone on to get pregnancy since (this wasn’t ectopic). I would recommend having a “outstanding blood test” requisition (if that’s an option for you - I’m in Canada). This means that as soon as I found out I was pregnant, I went to get my blood taken once, then again two days later. This showed my Dr. if my HCG levels doubled.

Hope this helps xx

4

Not exactly the same as I had my fallopian tube removed after an ectopic, but my first cycle after tge surgery I ovulated on that side and it was more painful and I bled a bit so would say itsyour body adjusting. I’ve also definitely been more sensitive to that side since even before we started ttc again