Ectopic pregnancy represents an increasing proportion of direct maternal deaths which has reached 10%. Between 1950 and 1974 there were 102 deaths from early ectopic pregnancy reviewed by the Michigan [USA] Maternal Mortality Committee. These cases were analyzed by status on admission and compared to a control series treated at a medical center. Patients with ectopic pregnancy were older than women delivering live infants. There were no differences in age, gravidity or parity between the study patients and controls. The study patients were slightly further advanced in pregnancy. Pain was the major presenting symptom. Marked delays occurred between 1st symptom, 1st consultation and diagnosis. Seventy-five percent of the deaths were considered preventable. Hemmorrhage was the leading cause of death. The estimated mortality of ectopic pregnancy is between 2 and 4/1000.