Ceejay's 1,000km challenge to support ectopic pregnancy charity

Ceejay Liles, 23, suffered an ectopic pregnancy due a few weeks into her pregnancy.

Sadly, ectopic pregnancies result in the loss of the baby in all instances, and requires keyhole surgery or an injection of the powerful medicine, methotrexate, to treat it.

However, Ceejay found that little was known about the condition (as only around one-in- 90 pregnancies are ectopic), and it was difficult for medical staff to diagnose her due to symptoms being similar to miscarriage, and the fact it occurred so early in her pregnancy.

Ceejay explained: “Basically they thought I had miscarried, due to abdominal pain, so they were doing regular blood tests to check my hormone levels and they were stagnant.

“They should double every 48 hours for a viable pregnancy, or drop significantly for a miscarriage. I had scans, but due to only being around five weeks pregnant they couldn’t see anything.

“Once I was in the hospital they were amazing, other then a lack of information - but that’s not their fault as such.”

Ceejay opted for the methotrexate injection rather than surgery, and thankfully only suffered a couple of days of nausea and tiredness.

Ceejay said: “Being faced with an ectopic, and a lot more tests, and the thought that I was going to effectively have to abort the pregnancy - even though it would never have been viable - to save my own life was tough.

“The emotional support wasn’t really there. It was only when I had finished the treatment and searched to see if there was a charity that I found the forums, and could talk to others that had been through my experience.”

The charity - the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust - holds an annual fundraising challenge to run, walk, cycle or swim an overall distance of 1,000 kilometres within 12 months.

Ceejay will be taking on the challenge to help support other women in her situation.

She said: “Women need to be as informed about ectopics as they are about miscarriages and pre-eclampsia.

“It really is so important to get my story out there to help others.”

• Visit Ceejay’s fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ceejay-liles to find out more about her story and make a donation.