Mouse study reveals magnetic nanoparticles' potential for ectopic pregnancy diagnosis and treatment
A research team led by an Oregon State University scientist has demonstrated in a mouse model a potentially better way to care for women facing the life-threatening condition of ectopic pregnancy.
A research team led by an Oregon State University scientist has demonstrated in a mouse model a potentially better way to care for women facing the life-threatening condition of ectopic pregnancy.
The short version
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- An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the lining of the uterus.
- Such pregnancies are nonviable and a leading cause of maternal mortality in the first trimester.
What happened
The research is important because 2% of all pregnancies in the United States, and between 1% and 2% worldwide, are ectopic, the authors note. In the U.S. alone, that translates to approximately 100,000 ectopic pregnancies annually; over the past six years, about 30 women have died annually from ectopic pregnancies.
Why it matters
About 98% of ectopic implantations happen in the fallopian tubes, putting women at risk of hemorrhage and death.
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