Pregnancy health centre

There is nothing you can do to prevent an ectopic pregnancy from occurring, but you can protect yourself against pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can increase your likelihood of having an ectopic pregnancy.

PID can damage your fallopian tubes, increasing the risk of ectopic pregnancy. PID is usually caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea, that starts in the vagina and spreads to the reproductive organs higher up.

The male condom is the most effective method of preventing STIs. It is also important to have regular sexual health check-ups:

• when you start a relationship with a new partner
• after having unprotected sex
• after having sexual contact with someone who you think may have been infected with an STI
• if you experience any symptoms of an STI

You can have a sexual health check-up by visiting your local genito-urinary medicine (GUM) or sexual health clinic. To find your local clinic see the NHS Choices service directory.

For more information, see the Health A-Z topic on pelvic inflammatory disease.