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Ectopic Pregnancy
Fallopian tube damage is a common cause
of
ectopic pregnancy. A fertilized egg can become caught
in the damaged area of a tube and begin to grow there. Some ectopic pregnancies
develop without any known cause. See a picture of
locations where an ectopic pregnancy can develop
.
Common causes of fallopian tube damage that may lead to an ectopic pregnancy include:
- Smoking. Women who smoke or who used to smoke have higher rates of ectopic pregnancy. The more you smoke, the higher your risk.1 Smoking is thought to damage the fallopian tubes' ability to move the fertilized egg toward the uterus.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), such as from a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. PID can create scar tissue in the fallopian tubes.
- Fallopian tube surgery, often used to reverse a tubal ligation or to repair a scarred or blocked tube.
- A previous ectopic pregnancy in a fallopian tube.
Although pregnancy is rare after a tubal ligation or with an intrauterine device (IUD), those pregnancies that do develop have an increased chance of being ectopic.2
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 6, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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