Ectopic Pregnancies
Ectopic pregnancies occur when the fetus develops outside of the uterus, primarily in the fallopian tube, but also in other locations such as the cervix, ovary, and abdominal cavity. The fertilized egg settles and grows in any location other than the inner lining of the uterus during pregnancy (Fernandez et al., 2013). Ectopic pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal death during the first trimester and continues to pose diagnostic and therapeutic issues for nurse practitioners.
Primary Responsibilities of the Family Nurse Practitioner
In cases of ectopic pregnancy, the primary responsibility of the family nurse practitioner is to create management procedures as well as to provide emotional support and information to the patient. Pregnancy complications lead to significant distress for women as well as their partners. The nurse practitioner should be able to communicate as well as to break the bad news to the patient efficiently (Zone & Guide, 2017). Counseling improves the psychological well-being of the patient as ectopic pregnancy is mainly associated with stress and psychological torture.
Diagnosis and Management
Additionally, the nurse practitioner has the role of performing diagnosis earlier enough which will provide the option of conservative operation as well as management on an outpatient basis. Most of the severe adverse outcomes of this kind of pregnancy come as a result of delayed diagnosis which means that the nurse practitioner should provide primary and secondary care because they are familiar with the risk factors related to ectopic pregnancy (Zone & Guide, 2017). Moreover, the nurse practitioner advises the patient on the available management options while still offering support during the follow-ups.
Managing and Lessening the Impacts
The family nurse practitioner is also charged with the role of managing and lessening the severe impacts of ectopic pregnancy as well as other complications that may occur during the pregnancy.
References
Fernandez, H., Capmas, P., Lucot, J. P., Resch, B., Panel, P., Bouyer, J., & GROG. (2013). Fertility after ectopic pregnancy: the DEMETER randomized trial. Human Reproduction, 28(5), 1247-1253.
Zone, C. P. D., & Guide, S. (2017). Ectopic pregnancy-the midwife's role in the community. Sign, 3531(952).
