Janice, a 30-year-old woman, is admitted to the emergency ro…
Janice, a 30-year-old woman, is admitted to the emergency room. Her husband, who rode in the ambulance with her, said that she had suddenly complained of severe pain in the right iliac region of her abdomen and then had collapsed. Upon examination, she was shown to have signs of internal hemorrhage and her abdominal muscles were rigid. Her menstrual history revealed that she had missed her last menstrual period. A diagnosis of ruptured tubal, or ectopic, pregnancy was made and surgery scheduled. What is an ectopic pregnancy, and why is it problematic?