Around one in 90 pregnancies in the UK is an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb.
The life-threatening condition is the leading cause of maternal death in the first trimester of early pregnancy, warns the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. In most cases, the fertilised egg moves from the fallopian tube into the uterus, where the pregnancy grows and develops. However, if the fertilised egg develops outside the uterus, this can lead to an ectopic pregnancy.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to save the pregnancy and it is usually removed using medicine or an operation. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists highlights that it can be deadly because “as the pregnancy gets bigger it can burst (rupture), causing severe pain and internal bleeding”.
