Deaths from ectopic pregnancies are rising across the U.S., with the sharpest increases occurring in states with strict abortion bans.
A ProPublica analysis found nearly 200 women died from ectopic pregnancies between 2020 and 2025 — nearly double the number recorded during the previous six-year period.
The study noted that there were 9.8 deaths from ectopic pregnancies per 1 million live births between 2023 and 2025 nationwide. In states with abortion bans, there was a rate of 13.1 deaths per 1 million live births. In states with no bans, there were 7.1 deaths from ectopic pregnancies per 1 million live births.
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Experts say abortion bans alone do not explain the nationwide increase. ProPublicla notes that the Department of Health and Human Services drastically cut maternal health staffers and grant funding.
However, they say the laws should be examined alongside documented delays in medical care.
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Researchers say more study is needed to determine what is driving the rise in deaths.
There are 13 states in the U.S. with total abortion bans and an additional six with near-total bans.
In 2025, there were 1.126 million abortions performed in the U.S., up from 1.124 million in 2024. However, those numbers remain below the historic peak of about 1.6 million annually in the early 1990s.
