Ectopic pregnancy

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The word ectopic means â€˜in the wrong placeâ€™. In a normal pregnancy, the fertilised egg implants in the womb lining An ectopic pregnancy is one occurring in another place, outside the womb.

Over 95% of ectopic pregnancies occur in a fallopian tube (the tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb). They can also happen in an ovary, in the abdominal space, or in the cervix (neck of the womb).

The fallopian tubes are very narrow. Each tube is about 10cm long and is lined with millions of fine, moving, hair-like structures called cilia. The cilia push the egg along the tube and, in a normal pregnancy, into the womb. But if the tube has been damaged, they may not be able to do this, and the pregnancy may continue in the fallopian tube.

Approximately 1 in 100 pregnancies is ectopic. In fact, ectopic pregnancies probably happen much more frequently than this, but many go unrecorded because a lot of ectopic pregnancies end in early miscarriage, often before a woman realises she is pregnant.

Ectopic pregnancy is a potentially dangerous condition, as it can cause severe internal bleeding. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment are essential.