Was it a miscarriage or an ectopic?

Question

We’ve been trying to conceive almost 2 years now. I had a miscarriage in September then an ectopic this month. I’m presently going through methotrexate treatment as I have high HCG numbers that didn’t budge at the first injection so required a second (7808 on day of first injection, 10376 on day 4 then 9878 on day 7). I’m starting to wonder if my miscarriage was actually a miscarriage or an ectopic. I had rising — albeit slow rising — HCG numbers that were on the lower end of normal but then one day experienced cramping and woke up the next day bleeding a ton. There was no ultrasound done. This time my HCG levels have been going up normally but they couldn’t find anything in my uterus on early ultrasound and did find an ectopic in my left tube. I haven’t had any bleeding at all, just twinges to the side that my ectopic is on. Does anyone have insight on this? How did you differentiate between a miscarriage and an ectopic?

Answer

I have had 2 of both. Ectopic 1 (1st pregnancy) was a true tubal on my right side. Then 2 miscarriages back to back. 1st was lost at 7.5 natural passing (Second is only known because it was seen on my follow up ultrasound for the 1st miscarriage). 
Second ectopic was diagnosed as a cornual ectopic at 6w2d, location of this type of ectopic is it is in the uterus but so close to the tube that almost 100% of the time it ruptures the uterus. My numbers for this pregnancy were high and they wanted to do surgery. Because I have my sisters experience and mine I asked if methotrexate was optional. They were willing to risk it. My numbers did keep kinda what yours are/did. (The numbers will almost always go up at the first draw after methotrexate, it take time for the drop to register in our blood) only nine went up down up down. I had to have 4 total doses of methotrexate one every 48 hours (and another medication on the off day to prevent too much damage to my cells). It was awful, but I did not have to have surgery and increase my chances of another ectopic caused by scaring (abdominal surgery increases your risks for having an ectopic).

Answer

An ectopic pregnancy is not necessarily in your tubes. In rare occasions it will actually be outside of your reproductive organs. These can actually be more serious as the baby can attach to other vital organs in your body. I was diagnosed with an ectopic at almost 9 weeks but it was not in my uterus or tubes. They never could find him but due to where my pain was believed he was somewhere outside of my uterus on my left side.

Was it a miscarriage or an ectopic?

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