I have heard a lot about ectopic pregnancies. She has assisted at over 1,000 births and is currently teaching in the nurse-midwifery program at the University of Minnesota. This is such important question because ectopic pregnancy accounts for about one out of every ten maternal deaths.
Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the first trimester.
Black women in the U.S. have a much higher rate of ectopic pregnancy and more die from consequences of misdiagnosis or late diagnosis. A fertilized ovum usually travels down the fallopian tube and within a period of about five days, implants into the lining of the uterus. The cells of the developing zygote continuously multiply even as it moves down the tube. The developing zygote is programmed to continue to grow and find nourishment, but soon outgrows the tiny space within the tube. It may be retained within the tube, which results in scarring and occlusion but most often ruptures, breaking through maternal circulation and causing hemorrhage.