“I had my lovely daughter Francesca when I was young, just 19. I met Daniel when she was a year old. We were very happy and wanted to add to our family. We were thrilled to finally be expecting a baby, but the joy was short lived. At 11 weeks into the pregnancy, I had severe stomach pains and had to be rushed in to the hospital. Our baby was growing in the wrong place – the Fallopian tube. The tube ruptured and I was extremely poorly. Daniel thought he may lose me but the doctors managed to save my life.
We waited before trying again, but at 8 weeks pregnant I was back in hospital again. This time, the ultrasound scan showed I was expecting twins – but they were also ectopic. I had to have the drug methotrexate which meant we lost the twins. It was heartbreaking but I was lucky to survive.
The next pregnancy in January 2019 lasted just 11 weeks before again we found the baby was growing inside the tube. The remaining tube was ruptured. With both of my fallopian tubes now missing, Daniel and I were told the only way forward was with IVF. There was no other option.
We decided to take that advice and booked our treatment at CARE Fertility in Nottingham.
Our first IVF treatment was a success! After all this heartbreak and disappointment, we finally delivered a healthy baby girl, Adrianna, weighing 9lb 5oz. Born at Chesterfield Royal Hospital in the summer of 2020, we finally had a sister for Francesca.
Until this happened to me, I didn’t know anything about ectopic pregnancy. I would like to reassure women that there is hope and with the right treatment it is still possible to become a mum again. Adrianna is proof of that.”
Dr Shilpi Pandey, Medical Director at CARE Nottingham and Daniella’s consultant, advises “Ectopic pregnancy is devastating, and can be life-threatening. It can happen if the tubes are damaged or blocked. Tubal problems account for 20-25% of all cases of subfertility. It is why IVF was invented and it is an effective, successful treatment. An early pregnancy scan is recommended if a patient has a history of tubal damage or tubal subfertility. Pregnant women should watch out for the warning signs and symptoms of ectopic pregnancy even after IVF.”
If an ectopic is suspected, seek immediate medical help. Symptoms include:
- Pelvic pain
- Bleeding
- Shoulder tip pain
- Urge to pass bowel movement
- Extreme light-headedness, fainting or shock
- The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust offers information and support https://ectopic.org.uk/
