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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffUp to an estimated 20 in every 1,000 pregnancies are ectopic. Various factors are associated with ectopic pregnancy, including:
- Previous ectopic pregnancy. If you've had one ectopic pregnancy, you're more likely to have another.
- Inflammation or infection. Up to 50 percent of women with ectopic pregnancies have had inflammation of the fallopian tube (salpingitis) or an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries (pelvic inflammatory disease). Gonorrhea or chlamydia can cause tubal problems that increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy. A condition that causes the tissue that normally lines the uterus to develop outside the uterus (endometriosis) also may increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Fertility problems. Taking medication to stimulate ovulation increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Structural problems. An ectopic pregnancy is more likely if you have an unusually shaped fallopian tube or the fallopian tube was damaged, possibly during surgery. Even surgery to reconstruct the fallopian tube can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Contraceptive choice. With proper use, pregnancy is rare when using birth control pills or an intrauterine device (IUD). If pregnancy occurs, however, it's more likely to be ectopic. The same goes for pregnancy after tubal ligation, a permanent method of birth control commonly known as "having your tubes tied." Although pregnancy is rare after tubal ligation, if it happens it's more likely to be ectopic.
But successful pregnancy after an ectopic pregnancy may still be possible. Even if one tube was injured or removed, an egg may be fertilized in the other fallopian tube before entering the uterus. If both tubes were injured or removed, in vitro fertilization may be an option. With this procedure, mature eggs are fertilized in the lab and then implanted into the uterus.
