Post-COVID Rise in Ectopic Pregnancy and Miscarriage Admissions: Alarming Trends in England
July 9, 2026
In the decade from 2010 to 2021, miscarriage admissions declined from 45,232 to 31,046, before increasing to higher levels by 2024, reflecting a post-pandemic uptick.
Lead author notes that women in more deprived communities face greater risk factors and barriers to care, highlighting the link between reproductive health and broader social and economic conditions.
Miscarriage admissions fell from 2010–2018 and again 2018–2021, then surged from 2021–2024 to a total of 133,400 admissions over the four years.
Researchers point to factors such as post-COVID changes in healthcare, shifts in care-seeking behavior, older maternal age, rising obesity, and broader reproductive health risks as contributors to the rise.
Ectopic pregnancy admissions in England rose from 2005–2012, stabilized briefly, then climbed again from 2021–2024 to 44,577, signaling a renewed upward trend.
These factors—post-pandemic healthcare changes, behavioral shifts, aging, and obesity—may collectively drive higher admissions for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
The study, slated for publication in Human Reproduction, calls for making pregnancy loss a major priority in women’s health research.
An abstract will be published, with emphasis on continued attention to equitable early pregnancy care and outcomes.
Overall, the research underscores pregnancy loss as a priority area, urging further work on causes, care improvements, and prevention to reduce avoidable losses.
Significant socioeconomic inequalities persist: in the most deprived decile, miscarriage admissions were 71,104 versus 26,414 in the least deprived (about 2.7-fold), and ectopic admissions were 17,845 versus 7,580 (about 2.4-fold).
These inequalities remained pronounced in the most recent decade, underscoring the disparity in outcomes by deprivation level.
A large national study in England analyzed nearly 787,000 miscarriage admissions, 212,000 ectopic pregnancy admissions, and over 12 million deliveries from 2004–2024, noting rising admissions for both conditions in the post-COVID era.
Summary based on 2 sources
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Sources

News-Medical • Jul 8, 2026
Hospital admissions for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy rise in England
Mirage News • Jul 7, 2026
Miscarriage, Ectopic Pregnancy Hospitalizations Surge