Are ectopic pregnancy deaths higher in states with abortion bans?

Ectopic pregnancies, in which pregnancies implant outside the uterus, comprise about 2% of pregnancies and 2.7% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States.

Such pregnancies require termination to prevent maternal mortality typically caused by the developing embryo’s rupture of the fallopian tube.

A ProPublica analysis found that the rate of ectopic pregnancy deaths in states that ban abortion at six weeks of pregnancy or earlier – including Oklahoma, which has a total abortion ban – was nearly double that of states without bans at 13.1 deaths per million live births. The national rate has almost doubled since 2019, though not merely because of abortion bans.

Oklahoma, like many other states with abortion bans, exempts ectopic pregnancies, but the time required for confirming the diagnosis – a necessity for providers seeking to avoid criminal penalties – increases the rupture risk.

From 2018 – 2024, there were fewer than 10 ectopic pregnancy deaths in Oklahoma.