Tube removal and uterus shaved

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1

I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this. After 2 doses of methotrexate because they couldn’t find my pregnancy, I ended up in severe pain and a new doctor telling me the cyst that my fertility clinic deemed not the pregnancy was in fact the pregnancy. This fertility clinic and our medical system had failed me through this whole journey and I should really post the whole story because you won’t believe it!

We decided to remove the tube and the pregnancy and be done with it, once the doctor was in he saw the tube had ruptured and I was bleeding internally.

Now the pregnancy was very close to my uterus and the surgeon said he had to shave off some of my uterus but it was deep and he stitch it up real good. He said it shouldn’t affect future pregnancies but now I’m curious if this has happened with anyone else and they have gone on to have healthy pregnancies and if there were any complications?

2

Dear Natalieanne,

I am so sorry to hear of your ectopic pregnancy loss and the difficult time you are going through.

I cannot be sure, but I think you are describing an interstitial ectopic pregnancy

This pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy that occurs when the fertilised egg implants in the part of the Fallopian tube as it crosses the wall of the uterus.

Pregnancies of this kind are difficult to diagnose as they may appear to be in the uterus on a scan or may be difficult to see on scan very early on. They are particularly dangerous if they are growing as they can progress further and tend to rupture later, having the potential to damage both the wall of the uterus and the Fallopian tube.

Surgery for an interstitial pregnancy can involve surgery to the actual uterine wall and this could result in the uterus being weakened however it is possible to have successful uterine pregnancies after an interstitial pregnancy. Your doctor will assess you carefully and consider the need for an elective caesarean section to deliver any subsequent pregnancy and the preferred method of delivery will depend on the extent of the surgery necessary on the uterine wall to resolve the ectopic pregnancy.

Some doctors call interstitial pregnancies ‘cornual’ which is confusing, so the term ‘interstitial’ is preferred.

I would suggest discussing with your medical team about the type of ectopic pregnancy you have and how this may impact on future pregnancies and delivery.

Sending much love,

Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1071811

The EPT is awarded the PIF TICK as a Trusted Information Creator, the UK-wide quality mark for healthcare information

If the information provided here or through the EPT website has helped you, you can donate towards our support services, volunteer, or fundraise to raise awareness.

Further information is available on our website.

Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk

We provide a call-back support line: 020 7733 2653. We are able to provide support in multiple languages including British Sign Language.

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Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team

3

Thanks for the advice. I actually just had surgery so he said it was mainly in the tube but touching the outer wall of the uterus. So he didn’t have to remove a part of my uterus thank god! But the tube was removed and he said he had to “shave” the outside of the uterine wall. He said he put a few stitches in to strengthen it and said it shouldn’t affect future pregnancies.

Still makes me nervous that my uterus was touched at all. Do you know if shaving the outside of the uterus will affect future pregnancies?

Through this whole process I feel like I can’t trust our medical system at all. My fertility doctor told me not to get the tube removed and thankfully I said no I want it out because it was damaged beyond repair and now I’m just hoping that shaving the uterus won’t cause future problems.

4

Dear Nagalieanne,

Sadly I am unable to provide personalised medical advice and as we do not have access to medical notes to know the exact procedure performed. If your surgeon has said it should be ok, then I would take their advice. I would mention your surgery and treatment with any future pregnancies so your medical notes can be reviewed at the time to ensure you receive the best possible care.

I’m so sorry to hear you have lost faith with your medical team. You are absolutely within your rights to ask for a second opinion.

Sending much love,

Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1071811

The EPT is awarded the PIF TICK as a Trusted Information Creator, the UK-wide quality mark for healthcare information

If the information provided here or through the EPT website has helped you, you can donate towards our support services, volunteer, or fundraise to raise awareness.

Further information is available on our website.

Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk

We provide a call-back support line: 020 7733 2653. We are able to provide support in multiple languages including British Sign Language.

Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list.

Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team

5

Ok thank you for your help.

I was also wondering about bleeding. Because I had 2 doses of methotrexate I bled a lot and shed my lining the first week and it’s stopped for about a week now. Since my surgery I’m bleeding a bit more again, is this normal?

6

Dear Natalieanne,

Bleeding is normal following treatment and happens because the hCG levels drop. The length of time anyone bleeds varies greatly, as the vaginal bleeding is from the lining of the womb and is hormonally controlled. It will probably last a week or two, changing in colour from red to brown and diminishing. Some women report bleeding and spotting on and off for up to six weeks.

Provided you are not soaking a pad in less than an hour or the abdominal pain is so severe you can’t manage it with over-the-counter pain relief, such as paracetamol, you should try not to worry. If the amount of bleeding worries you or you have any concerns, you should seek medical advice and a reassessment.

Sending much love,

Karen x

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1071811

The EPT is awarded the PIF TICK as a Trusted Information Creator, the UK-wide quality mark for healthcare information

If the information provided here or through the EPT website has helped you, you can donate towards our support services, volunteer, or fundraise to raise awareness.

Further information is available on our website.

Email us: ept@ectopic.org.uk

We provide a call-back support line: 020 7733 2653. We are able to provide support in multiple languages including British Sign Language.

Take a look at our newsletters and subscribe to our mailing list.

Detailed medical information can be found on our website. Please remember online medical information is NO SUBSTITUTE for expert medical advice from your own health care team

7

Hi, it does sound like you had an interstitial ectopic pregnancy. If you could find that out for sure, it will help you to get the right information. I am so sorry you feel let down by your fertility clinic though - I also feel let down by mine.

I have recently had an interstitial ectopic pregnancy within the tubal stump of what was left over from when I had my left tube removed during surgery for another ectopic pregnancy! This meant it was sort of lodged within the outer muscle of my uterus so it sounds like my surgery was similar to yours.

My surgeon reassured me that it is safe for me to try to get pregnant again. The only advice for me ever making it to full term was that a discussion will have to be had over having a planned caesarean as my uterus is more at risk of rupturing otherwise xx