In February 2024, our world turned upside down. What began as a hopeful moment, a faint line on a pregnancy test, quickly spiralled into one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I had no idea that something so small and full of potential could nearly take my life.
It started with some unusual bleeding and pain that didn’t feel right. Concerned, I went to the hospital, where I was told I was likely having a miscarriage. It was devastating, but I was sent home believing that nature was simply taking its course. I had a scan at the hospital, but no one saw anything more concerning at the time.
What none of us realised was that the scan had missed something critical: I wasn’t miscarrying. I had an ectopic pregnancy that was growing dangerously in my left Fallopian tube.
Hours later, everything changed. The pain became unbearable. I could hardly stand. My body felt wrong; Weak, dizzy, and overwhelmed. I was rapidly deteriorating. Paramedics were called, and I was blue lighted back to hospital.
This time, things moved fast. I was showing signs of internal bleeding, and they now suspected an ectopic pregnancy. Within 11 hours of being told I was miscarrying, I was rushed to theatre for emergency surgery.
The plan was to perform a laparoscopy (keyhole surgery), but once they got inside, the damage was much worse than expected. My left Fallopian tube had ruptured, and I was bleeding internally. They had to convert the procedure to an open surgery, a laparotomy, and perform a left salpingectomy to remove the damaged Fallopian tube and stop the bleeding.
I woke up in recovery, sore, shaken, and heartbroken. I had lost the pregnancy, a part of my body, and a lot of blood, but I had survived. I spent five days in hospital recovering physically, but the emotional impact stayed much longer.
Later, I found out that the ectopic pregnancy had actually been missed on the initial scan – something that’s still hard to come to terms with. That missed detail nearly cost me my life.
Recovery wasn’t just about healing incisions. It was about processing trauma, grief, and fear. About understanding how fragile life can be. About rebuilding trust in my body and the healthcare system.
Ectopic pregnancy is rare, but when it happens, it’s a medical emergency. I’m sharing my story not for sympathy, but in the hope that it might help someone else feel less alone – or prompt someone to ask for a second scan, a second opinion, or to trust their instincts when something feels off.
I survived. And I’m still healing physically, emotionally, and quietly, day by day.
Thank you Amelia for sharing this deeply personal story with us for Ectopic Pregnancy Awareness Day.
If you would like to share your experience of ectopic pregnancy, please visit our guide for more information.
Please remember our support services are available at any time.