Temperature during an ectopic pregnancy
By their nature, women strive for motherhood and therefore, preparing for it, they try to learn as much as possible about the features of pregnancy and childbirth. And surely many of them have heard of such a concept as basal temperature. In this regard, women often wonder how the temperature behaves during an ectopic pregnancy and whether it differs from the basal temperature during uterine egg implantation.
How does the basal temperature change in women?
The hormonal background during the menstrual cycle is different for women. In the first phase, the hormone estrogen predominates, and in the second, progesterone. Progesterone enhances the metabolism in a woman's body and increases the basal temperature above 37 degrees (usually 37.1-37.2 degrees Celsius). This temperature lasts until the onset of menstruation, and then decreases. In case of pregnancy, the basal temperature remains elevated.
In the early stages of pregnancy, basal temperature measurement is important for the diagnosis of some abnormalities. Sometimes an increase or decrease in basal temperature indicates a hormonal disruption in a woman's body and suggests a threat to the normal course of pregnancy. Therefore, many women, for example, are interested in the question of what the temperature is during an ectopic pregnancy.
There is no need to measure basal temperature for all women, without exception, and throughout pregnancy. Its gynecologists advise measuring those pregnant women who, unfortunately, have already encountered an ectopic pregnancy, termination of fetal development, miscarriage and other complications.
Basal temperature in an ectopic pregnancy
Some women believe that the basal temperature does not rise during an ectopic pregnancy. This is not true - in this case, progesterone is produced in the same way as during normal pregnancy, which leads to an increase in temperature. Therefore, in both normal and ectopic pregnancy, the basal temperature is usually above 37 degrees Celsius.
Sometimes you can observe a decrease in basal temperature during an ectopic pregnancy below 37 degrees Celsius. Based on this, it can be assumed that the development of the embryo has stopped. This condition is called a frozen pregnancy. It can be observed in both uterine and ectopic pregnancy. In these cases, the corpus luteum ceases to perform its functions as an endocrine gland and undergoes regression, so the level of progesterone in the woman's blood sharply decreases and, as a result, the basal temperature also decreases during an ectopic pregnancy.
An ectopic pregnancy does not always lead to tube rupture and massive internal bleeding. Often it is interrupted as a tubal abortion. In this case, the death of the ovum occurs, it exfoliates from the wall of the fallopian tube and is expelled into the abdominal cavity.
In this case, the bleeding is not as pronounced as with a ruptured tube. However, the blood accumulating in the abdominal cavity contributes to the development of the inflammatory process, which is manifested by malaise and pain. In this case, the basal temperature during an ectopic pregnancy rises significantly and can reach 38 degrees.
Diagnostic reliability of basal temperature in an ectopic pregnancy
As we have already found out, the temperature during an ectopic pregnancy can be either increased or decreased. Therefore, only on the basis of basal temperature measurement, the diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy can neither be confirmed nor rejected. In addition, basal body temperature indicators depend on many factors (sleep duration, physical activity, sex the day before, some medications, and much more).
If you are plagued by doubts or worried about pain, spotting, general malaise, then you should consult a doctor for the necessary examination. Currently, there are special tests that allow you to suspect an ectopic pregnancy at a very early stage. However, a definitive diagnosis can only be made with ultrasound.
Found a mistake in the text? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
