Adewole of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital told newsmen in Abuja that one out of every five pregnancies was ectopic pregnancy.
``This shows that one out of every five pregnancy could result in the condition.
``When it is ruptured, it could lead to anaemia, internal bleeding, and even to death,” he added.
Reports say that ectopic pregnancy is a kind of pregnancy that is located outside the womb.
Adewole said that ectopic pregnancy usually occurred outside the normal internal cavity or womb, adding that it could be in the abdomen, pelvic, ovary or in the fallopian tube.
The gynaecologist stressed that it was usually associated with abdominal pains because of the abnormal location of the foetus.
``Sometimes, some women under that condition may not know that she had missed her menstrual period,’’ he said.
Adewole said that when the pregnancy was located in the womb, the normal cavity could expand up to 1,000 times of the normal size to accommodate the foetus.
``But when it was located in the fallopian tube, there will be a problem because the tube cannot expand,” he added.
Adewole said that if the fallopian tube was totally blocked and unable to transport the fertilised egg to the womb, it could lead to ectopic pregnancy.
``It is common among women of child-bearing age and it contributes to the high rate of maternal deaths in the country.
``This is because a woman might collapse and die as a result of the kind of pregnancy she was carrying,’’ he added.
The consultant, however, said that the pelvic inflammatory disease was one of the causative factors of the blockage of the fallopian tube, which could lead to ectopic pregnancy.
``Treatment of such conditions may require a surgical operation if the tube is not ruptured; sometimes, it could melt by itself before its discovery,” he said.
Adewole, therefore, advised women to go to hospital for proper scanning and test whenever they suspected pregnancy or experienced abdominal pains, instead of resorting to self-medication.
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