Ecto
Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic Pregnancy (pronounced: ek-TOP-ik preg-nan-see) is a medical condition where a fertilized egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus.
Etymology
The term "Ectopic" is derived from the Greek words "ektopos" meaning "out of place".
Definition
An Ectopic Pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which the embryo attaches outside the uterus. Signs and symptoms classically include abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding, but fewer than 50 percent of affected women have both of these symptoms.
Causes
The cause of ectopic pregnancy is often unknown. However, a few factors have been associated with an increased risk of developing an ectopic pregnancy, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, smoking, and prior ectopic pregnancy.
Related Terms
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: An infection of the female reproductive organs. It is often caused by some sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- Embryo: An early stage of development of a multicellular organism.
- Uterus: A major female hormone-responsive secondary sex organ of the reproductive system in humans.
- Fertilization: The union of an egg and sperm, where the two gametes meet in the female's reproductive system to form a new organism.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ecto
- Wikipedia's article - Ecto
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski