What to do next?

Preparing For Your Next Pregnancy
1

Hi Everyone,

This is my first time on here. I literally had surgery last Saturday to remove my left tube that had already ruptured. Our baby was 6.5 weeks. At the moment we are trying to heal both physically and emotionally, and I am left wondering, what does the future hold now?

The surgeon said that my right tube wasn’t in very good condition either. He said it was swollen and too short- whatever that means! And because of this, getting pregnant was highly unlikely to happen naturally again, which makes me very sad. We have been trying for over four years, and this pregnancy was the only one that lasted this long. The first time I ever saw our baby on a scan, with a heartbeat, and it was in the wrong place :'(.

Has anyone had IVF after ectopic and been successful? Any stories or hope would really help.

Thank you xxx

2

Kcjc90 Just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about what you have been, and are still going through. Just before Christmas I also had left tube removed - i was gutted by the loss of my first pregnacy and am also so worried about my chances of conceiving in future. All through this I have ended up on line (sometimes making me feel better or at least giving good advice, sometimes leaving me panicked and distraught!). I have seen loads of posts on various chat rooms about women who conceived successfully in spite of all sorts of issues and problems. Do have a look at all those positive stories and first hand advice - just google a phrase and you’ll find lots. It sounds like there are loads of stories about women overcoming the odds and everything being fine in the end. Do stay positive and spread the word if you have success of any kind (even if it’s just to say you are feeling better one day) as you might help the rest of us stay positive. All the best.

3

Dear KCJC90,

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

When we experience ectopic pregnancy we are suddenly faced with a life threatening emergency and it’s treatment, reduction in fertility, concerns about the future and the loss of our babies. Experiencing any one of these is an ordeal, putting them together is immense and your feelings are completely normal.

Trying to conceive again can be a challenging time for couples especially after experiencing loss. I will do my best to help.

While generally it is possible to conceive after an ectopic pregnancy, the amount of time it takes varies from couple to couple. Factors include age, general health, reproductive health and how often you have sex, among other things.

I wish I could give more precise information, but as I do not have access to your and your partner’s medical records, it is difficult for me to provide specific details. Generally, we and many healthcare professionals advise keeping a healthy balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and abstaining from alcohol and smoking.

Importantly, help is available if conceiving naturally has not yet been successful after some time trying - and the EPT advises that women under 35 should seek medical advice following 12 months trying to conceive and those over 35 should seek advice after 6 months.

As we do not have access to your medical, it is difficult to provide specific about ttc. I would advise talking to your GP about being referred to a fertility specialist if your remaining tube is not in good condition.

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

If we have been able to help you, are you able to help us with a small donation or by volunteering?

Further information is available at www.ectopic.org.uk

Email us at ept@ectopic.org.uk.

Our helpline is 020 7733 2653 (available Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm).

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.

4

I’m so sorry for your loss KCJC90 and RB209. I don’t have a story about IVF (hopefully some other women do), but I just wanted to connect and let you know you’re not alone in this. I also had surgery early December and lost my left tube. It was our first pregnancy. It is so overwhelming at times and more recently I’m starting to feel more frustration and anger, rather than so much sadness. I found a therapist (luckily a couple of weeks prior to the surgery) and it has been very helpful for me to talk to someone who is not a family member or friend, someone who can be a bit more neutral in all of this. Wishing you all the best