Go to an emergency room now if
ACOG says to go to an emergency room for sudden, severe belly or pelvic pain, shoulder pain, weakness, dizziness or fainting.[2]
MedlinePlus says a burst tube can cause life-threatening bleeding inside the body.[1]
Early signs
Sources differ
Sources describe the early signs in slightly different words:[1][2]
- MedlinePlus says early signs may include light bleeding and pelvic pain, and later signs include belly or shoulder pain, bleeding, and dizziness or fainting.[1]
- ACOG says early signs can look like a normal pregnancy plus abnormal bleeding, low back pain or mild cramping on one side of the pelvis, and to report them to your provider.[2]
Who is at higher risk
ACOG lists these risk factors:[2]
- a past ectopic pregnancy;[2]
- surgery on the tubes or in the pelvis;[2]
- some sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis;[2]
- smoking, or being older than 35;[2]
- infertility or IVF.[2]
ACOG says about half of people with an ectopic pregnancy have no known risk factors.[2] It says more than 90% happen in a fallopian tube.[2]
Questions families ask
What are the first signs of an ectopic pregnancy?
MedlinePlus says early signs may include light bleeding and pelvic pain.[1]
Is shoulder pain a sign?
ACOG lists shoulder pain among the signs that mean go to an emergency room.[2]
Free from UpOnly Learning. Written for families of every faith. No outside ads and no affiliate links. Every fact on this page comes from the sources listed below. How we source and review these pages
Updated 2026-10-24: first published.
Sources
All sources were opened and checked on the date shown.
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Ectopic Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Ectopic Pregnancy. Checked October 24, 2026.