An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants itself outside of the uterus. They’re also called “tubal pregnancies” because most of them happen in the fallopian tubes. Whether there’s a problem with the egg or the tube, the egg gets stuck on its journey to the uterus.

A pregnancy can’t survive outside of the uterus, so all ectopic pregnancies must end. It used to be that about 90% of women with ectopic pregnancies had to have surgery. Today, the number of surgeries is much lower, and many more ectopic pregnancies are managed with medication that prevents them from progressing.

If you’re diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, how your doctor will treat it depends on how far the pregnancy has progressed, where the embryo is, and how severe your symptoms are.