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ectopic pregnancy

American  

noun

Medicine/Medical.
  • ectopic pregnancies
    plural
  1. the development of a fertilized ovum outside the uterus, as in a Fallopian tube.


ectopic pregnancy British  

noun

  1. pathol the abnormal development of a fertilized egg outside the cavity of the uterus, usually within a Fallopian tube

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of ectopic pregnancy

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

In Thurman’s case, despite clear signs of an ectopic pregnancy, two emergency departments sent her home without resolving the complication.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

In June, as I was drafting this essay, we experienced another pregnancy loss, this time a rare and dangerous type of ectopic pregnancy.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

Florence Welch began working on Everybody Scream after experiencing a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy – and the experience casts a dark shadow over her sixth album.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

In the novel, Hubie and Janine’s relationship pivots after an ectopic pregnancy ends in loss.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Illnesses have always run through his family—his father died years ago after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, his aunt died from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, and so on—but Vin believed he was better, stronger.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

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