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How does it happen?

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Kitkat99
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 11:54 am

How does it happen?

Post by Kitkat99 »

Hi all. Apologies if this is a stupid question but I have looked and looked and I just dont get it. This is my 2nd ectopic. What I dont get is how the egg gets fertilised out there. Like, is there sperm swimming around my whole insides? Or is it just 1 escapee? Or what??!!
Last time I tried to get the consultant to explain at my catch up but it was not a great debrief: the surgeon had since left n his notes were TERRIBLE plus I'd had a panic attack on way in n she was pretty unsupportive. It meant I maybe didn't ask/listen properly so ... anyone who can help clear this up for me please? :? :roll:

stephanie_b
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:51 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by stephanie_b »

I don’t know the answer, but I am so glad you have asked the question as I just don’t understand it either.

My ectopic was on my ovary so I just don’t know how the sperm gets that far and then the egg implants in such strange places.

It really gets to you doesn’t it xxx

Kitkat99
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 11:54 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Kitkat99 »

It's basically all I'm thinking about today... :roll: I should add that my last 1 was on outside of my left fallopian. I just can't fathom how it got out there?!?!

EctopicPUL
Posts: 249
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by EctopicPUL »

The egg and sperm actually meet in the Fallopian tubes naturally, they bob along and in a healthy pregnancy, land and set up home in the womb.

Ours just set up home or get stuck too early.

It’s not a pleasant thought thinking of those little swimmers making their way to our insides but... I guess they kinda do lol

(Site removed per Trust policy)

This page has a good explanation lol

EctopicPUL
Posts: 249
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by EctopicPUL »

Realised that may be deleted - it’s not an advert it was just a good explanation. In case it’s deleted the wording on the page explains how it’s normal for the egg and sperm to meet in the tube, and then implant in the womb. In ectopic they implant in the wrong place

Copied and pasted:

Every month, the female ovulates one mature egg from one of her ovaries. This egg leaves the ovarian follicle and is ‘captured’ in the end of the Fallopian tube. Here, it will begin to move slowly down the tube towards the womb (uterus). However, for a pregnancy to develop it must first meet sperm from the male whilst it is still held in the Fallopian tube.


The sperm then begin their long journey towards the egg. Leaving the cervix they enter the womb. Here, they swim towards the Fallopian tubes. The vagina and the womb are quite hostile environments for sperm, however, once the sperm reach the Fallopian tubes they are mainly free from the potential negative effects of the woman’s immune system. Only 1 in 14 million of the ejaculated sperm will reach the Fallopian tube, but once there the sperm should pick up chemical signals from the egg to help them find their way forward.

The sperm finally near the egg and push towards its shell (called the zona pellucida). Many sperm will bind to this shell, but only 1 sperm will be allowed to go all the way through to reach the egg inside.

Sperm can survive for a few days in the female reproductive system – hence a sperm ejaculated during intercourse on a Monday could fertilise an egg ovulated on the Tuesday or Wednesday!

How we can help you?

Fertilisation
Once the sperm has gained entry to the egg a complex chain of events occurs over a period of about 16 hours culminating in the sperm’s genetic material forming a structure called the ‘male pronucleus’ and the egg’s genetic material forming a ‘female pronucleus’. The male and female pronuclei move together to the centre of the egg and during IVF this can be seen down the microscope. The egg can now be called a fertilised embryo and would normally be at this stage 1 day after ovulation.

What is IVF?

Embryo development
The following day after fertilisation the embryo’s genetic material should double then halve forming 2 identical cells all still within the shell. This doubling of genetic material and halving continues over the next 2 days until the embryo is around 8 cells.

At 8 cells the embryo continues to keep dividing to make more cells, but now the cells become very tightly bound and start to communicate with each other.

Around day 4 to 6 after fertilisation the blastocyst stage of the embryo begins. Fluid starts to fill inside the embryo making a small cavity. The outer cells begin to form a wall and the inner cells form a ball - this will become the future baby.

All this time the embryo has been rolling down the Fallopian tube, but at the blastocyst stage the embryo enters the womb. (But in ectopic stays in the tube, or implants whereever it is)

Over the next few days it will hatch out of its shell and begin to bury into the wall of the womb. It will grow and eventually form blood vessel connections with the mother. This stage of connecting with the womb wall is called ‘implantation’ and is another critical stage in achieving a pregnancy.

At this point the embryo is sending out chemicals into the mother’s blood stream, and from about 2 weeks from fertilisation the chemicals have reached a level which will be picked up by a pregnancy test.

The embryo must then continue to grow and develop the different types of cells and structures necessary to become a baby. The process of conception has occurred and the woman can now say she is ‘pregnant’.

Bhakti
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Bhakti »

That was really helpful thank you. Mines really weird though. Last year I had an ectopic in my left tube which was subsequently removed. This year I get pregnant and I assume my right tube picks up the egg (there’s no other way right?) but once the egg is delivered to the uterus it bypasses the uterus and wedges itself in the stub of my left Fallopian tube and so is semi in the womb and semi in the tube. A tube that doesn’t even exist! I just don’t get it!

EctopicPUL
Posts: 249
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by EctopicPUL »

I’ve been fascinated by what the body is capable of. Sounds like you’ve had terrible bad luck :(

I’m on a couple of boards about ectopic, it’s amazing where the embryo can implant.

Kitkat99
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 11:54 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Kitkat99 »

Thanks people. Very interesting info. I remember gcse bio really well and this experience has shown how little actual info was given then. I was told the ovaries were held on the end of tubes but since found out they just sort of float together in a kind of gloopsac?!??!! I am blown away by our amazing bodies and the miracles they perform! I've come across all sorts of unbelievable pregnancies in reading up on this. Still not certain how a fertilised egg goes swim-about but maybe it's just 1 of lifes mysteries...
@bhakti that sounds crazy! I hope ur doing ok x
@stephanie_b thankyou for sharing xxx

EctopicPUL
Posts: 249
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by EctopicPUL »

“Gloop sac” just made me burst out laughing at work. I know, you realise how limited your knowledge is. I figured a sperm and egg just met in your womb. No idea that without a tube on one side, the other Fallopian tube can catch the egg from the other side.

Bodies are scary and amazing!

Gloopsac

*snigger*

Spainectopic
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed May 08, 2019 11:07 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Spainectopic »

This is interesting. I’ve had one tube removed and been reading that despite this some of the eggs can be attracted by the other tube. But how does this happen? Does the egg float around the outside of the womb and then go down the tube that’s still ok? And when the surgeon removes the tube do they tie it up or leave it open? I think I’ll have to research the anatomy more.

Kitkat99
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 11:54 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Kitkat99 »

Evening ladies. I am just back from hospital. Right and final tube removed. Processing but relieved and so much less overwhelmed than last year! Saying that am cautiously preparing for any and all stashed up feelings. Because I learnt another amazing miracle our bodies do is let us have feelings in bits over time so it's as much as we can bear in any one moment...
Anyway I asked the consultant and she showed me a really good graphic where the sperm meets the egg at the end of tube, right by ovary. Now there's normally safety gloop (fnar) around here because the ovaries dont actually touch the tubes. They are kind of surrounded by petal like fronds called fimbrae. So that means that if our gloop is not best consistency or something the teeny fertilised egg COULD jus bip off n implant anywhere it could get to. Extremely rare that happens tho. Tf! :) Possible reasons for degraded gloop include infection, low progesterone and injury to area.
Also how egg can get picked up by other side. I imagine the fimbrae like seaweeds beckoning the egg by making a current towards the tube entrance...
Hope this helps! Xxx

EctopicPUL
Posts: 249
Joined: Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:23 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by EctopicPUL »

I’ve learned more here than 2 years of GCSE biology at school lol

Thanks for the info. Sorry you’ve experienced this again.

Bhakti
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Bhakti »

So I’ve just had surgery. I actually had a stub ectopic pregnancy. Didn’t even know it’s a thing. I had my left tube removed in last years ectopic and a stub was left which apparently contain receptors. The left stub attracted the egg to it and it got fertilised Inside the stub!

I was told that it could be half in the womb and half out so an intestial ectopic but it’s not. For that reason we decided to try the metho injection. Which caused me to rupture Yesterday. I was rushed to surgery and Lost 3 litres of blood. I’m currently recovering in hospital. Lesson learnt: egg can literally implant itself anywhere!

Spainectopic
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed May 08, 2019 11:07 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Spainectopic »

Sorry to hear the things you’ve been through ladies. Hope you recover soon x

Kitkat99
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 11:54 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Kitkat99 »

Bhakti I'm sending you a bit of love. What a time we're having?!? I hope you heal swiftly and easily xxx

Bhakti
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Bhakti »

Thank you! I hope you’re on the mend too! Xx

Kitkat99
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 11:54 am

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Kitkat99 »

Hey everyone. Just having a pretty low day n popped back here to remember I'm not alone. My body is healing nicely and the relief of no more ectopic is wonderful but: this is the weird bit... even though I never wanted to b a mum I am absolutely bereft that my partner cnt be a dad with me. He'd b the BEST dad and even though he says he's ok with it, never wanted kids I still feel mournful for the dead potential...
Sorry to moan I just needed to say. I know it takes time and things will come up over time. I know we'll get through this. It's just a bad day today. I'm so glad you're all here. N I can say it here n not burden anyone. And I send so much love and gratitude and hope for good healing xxx

Bhakti
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: How does it happen?

Post by Bhakti »

Hey sorry you had a bad day. I still have good days and bad days and that’s totally normal. You’re definitely not alone. I hope you’re doing better now.

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