Florence Welch has revealed she almost died after suffering a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy.
The lead singer of indie rock band Florence & The Machine, 39, was forced to cancel a series of live shows in 2023, telling fans at the time that she had undergone emergency surgery – but did not share further details.
Now, in a candid new interview, the star has bravely opened up about the reason behind her disappearance from the spotlight.
Florence revealed that she had been expecting her first child with her on-off musician boyfriend, but early in the pregnancy, while the couple were still keeping the news private, she suffered an ectopic pregnancy that led to emergency surgery.
Speaking to The Guardian, the singer recalled: ‘I had an ectopic pregnancy, on stage.
Reflecting on the trauma, she added: ‘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.’
Florence Welch has revealed she almost died after suffering a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy (pictured in March, 2023)
The lead singer of indie rock band Florence & The Machine, 39, was forced to cancel a series of live shows in 2023, telling fans at the time that she had undergone emergency surgery – but did not share further details
She described the moment as ‘devastating’, explaining that discovering she was pregnant at 37 had been a ‘big shock’, but one that felt ‘magical’.
Florence also revealed that she had seen a doctor before a performance after experiencing bleeding, and began to panic when the doctor paused during the examination.
She said she had a ‘coke can’s worth of blood’ in her abdomen and was rushed into surgery within an hour.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, most commonly in one of the fallopian tubes. The condition is a medical emergency, and if left untreated, it can be fatal.
It’s not possible to save the pregnancy, and it must be removed either with medication or surgery.
According to the NHS, around 1 in every 90 pregnancies in the UK is ectopic – around 11,000 cases every year.
Back in 2023, Florence informed fans that Florence & The Machine would no longer be performing at the Zurich Open Air Festival on August 25 or Rock en Seine on August 26, citing medical reasons.
The band’s final performance that year was at Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall on August 13.
The star revealed that she had been expecting her first child with her on-and-off musician boyfriend, but suffered an ectopic pregnancy that required emergency surgery
Speaking to The Guardian, the singer recalled: ‘I had an ectopic pregnancy, on stage’ (pictured 2018)
In 2023, Florence was forced to cancel UK tour dates due to a foot injury, although she later clarified that her foot was fine.
In a statement following her emergency surgery, Florence wrote: ‘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.
‘And I will be back to close out the Dance Fever tour in Lisbon and Malaga (maybe not jumping so much but you can do that for me).
‘Suffice to say I wish the songs were less accurate in their predictions. But creativity is a way of coping, mythology is way of making sense.
‘And the dark fairytale of Dave Fever, with all its strange prophecies, will provide me with much needed strength and catharsis right now.’
If you have been affected by this article contact Ectopic Pregnancy Foundation on 0845 070 4636 or email hello.epf@gmail.com