Baby is not where it should be

Yesterday afternoon, I was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy (the baby implanted in my Fallopian tube, or possibly elsewhere in my abdomen). I was offered two different treatments: methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug that targets rapidly dividing cells; or surgical removal of the tube and the baby. I chose instead "expectant management", meaning I am hoping my body miscarries the pregnancy without intervention. I chose this because I am completely and totally anti-abortion. It's not necessarily an "easy" decision, because it involves risks for me: bleeding, hemorrhage, and even death. There is some free fluid behind my uterus on the ultrasound that indicates abdominal bleeding, and I am also having pain that indicates that. I continue to have some mild external bleeding. My pregnancy hormone levels have remained the same now for 2 days, which may be a sign that I am miscarrying, or could be a sign of continued growth of the baby outside of my uterus.

While it is possible for the baby to survive, it is very unlikely. I am hoping to make an impact on my care providers as I have chosen a very counter-cultural method of treatment. Regardless of the outcome, this will hopefully communicate my understanding of fetus as "baby" in some very loud and clear terms. Read here, here and here for stories of healthy babies delivered after an ectopic pregnancy. The third story is one I heard on Discovery Health shortly before my own tubal sterilization surgery. This story introduced the idea that perhaps abortion was not the only option when facing an ectopic pregnancy.