ProPublica Finds 196 Ectopic Pregnancy Deaths Since 2020, Nearly Doubling in Abortion-Ban States
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 10
ProPublica Finds 196 Ectopic Pregnancy Deaths Since 2020, Nearly Doubling in Abortion-Ban States
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 10
Summary
196 women died with ectopic pregnancies from 2020 to 2026 in CDC data reviewed by ProPublica, up from 106 in the previous six-year period—an increase experts said should not happen with timely care.
States with strict abortion bans saw a steeper rise than states without them, and experts said laws that expose doctors to criminal penalties can delay treatment even when ectopic-pregnancy exceptions exist.
Texas hospital records showed 310 additional ectopic-pregnancy patients suffered substantial blood loss in 2023 and 2024 versus 2018 and 2019, a roughly 29% increase after the state's abortion restrictions took hold.
Lawsuits from patients in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas describe hospitals sending women home or refusing intervention until diagnoses were more certain; one Arkansas doctor allegedly warned treatment could mean '10 years in the poky.'
Federal response has been limited despite the spike, and researchers say cuts to CDC reproductive-health staff and weak national review systems leave the U.S. poorly equipped to investigate preventable maternal deaths.
What hidden emergency room delays are causing a drastic spike in life-threatening complications for women nationwide?
How did other nations successfully halt these preventable tragedies while the US healthcare system continues to fall behind?
Maternal Deaths from Ectopic Pregnancy Surge After Roe v. Wade Overturned: Legal Barriers and Provider Fear in the U.S. (2020–2025)
Overview
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, many states enacted strict abortion bans with severe criminal penalties. This led to a chilling effect among healthcare providers, who became hesitant or refused to provide standard care for ectopic pregnancies out of fear of prosecution. As a result, the number of women dying from ectopic pregnancies nearly doubled nationwide, with Texas seeing a sharp rise in severe complications. Hospitals adopted defensive practices, sometimes turning away patients, while some women were forced to travel out of state for lifesaving care. The crisis was made worse by vague legal language and cuts to federal health data tracking.