Florence Welch almost died during live gig as she suffered devastating ectopic pregnancy

Florence Welch has revealed she almost died after suffering an ectopic pregnancy while performing.

Back in 2023, the Florence + The Machine star suddenly cancelled several European shows, telling fans she’d undergone emergency surgery. However, she didn’t share further details at the time, saying she wasn’t “strong enough” to explain.

Now, the 39-year-old singerhas opened up about the traumatic experience, revealing she had just found out she was pregnant with her first child when the complications began.

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Speaking to The Guardian, she said, “I had an ectopic pregnancy, on stage.” She said becoming pregnant at 37 came as “a big shock”, but added the news had felt “magical.” The pregnancy was still private when, during a performance, she began bleeding and knew something wasn’t right.

“I think, because it was my first time being pregnant, and it was my first miscarriage, I was like, OK, I’ve heard this is part of it,” she explained, calling the ordeal “devastating.”

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants outside the womb, often in a fallopian tube. It affects around 11,000 women a year in the UK and can become life-threatening if not treated quickly, according to the NHS. The pregnancy cannot be saved and must be removed via medication or surgery.

Florence went to see a doctor before a show, but the check-up quickly turned serious. “I had a Coke can’s worth of blood in my abdomen,” she recalled. Within the hour, she was admitted for emergency surgery — and doctors were unable to save her fallopian tube.

Despite the severity of the situation, she revealed she was still scheduled to fly out for another gig. “If I’d got on that plane, I’d have come off on a stretcher. Or worse,” she admitted.

At the time, Florence had told fans her cancelled shows – including Rock En Seine and Zurich Open Air Festival – were due to medical reasons, and added in a statement, “I’m so sorry that I had to cancel the last couple of shows. My feet are fine, I had to have emergency surgery for reasons I don't really feel strong enough to go into yet, but it saved my life.”

She went on, “Suffice to say I wish the songs were less accurate in their predictions. But creativity is a way of coping, mythology is a way of making sense.”

Recalling her mindset during the show where it all unfolded, the Dog Days Are Over hitmaker said, “I was in the elements, in the wind and rain, and I just felt something working through me. I felt this thing take over, the thing that’s always there, the safe space of performance.”

If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk.

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