'Another pregnancy is possible'

The ectopic pregnancy suffered by the Countess occurs when a fertilised egg fails to implant in the lining of the womb but instead starts to develop into an embryo elsewhere, probably in the fallopian tubes.

It is likely the Countess knew she was expecting, as most ectopic pregnancies are discovered in the first two months following a missed period. But doctors say it is unlikely to stop her becoming pregnant again.

The symptoms of bleeding and onesided or lower abdominal discomfort usually start about a month after conception. The Countess would also have had repeated positive pregnancy tests as the embryo grew. The fact she was rushed to hospital suggests that part of the tube containing her pregnancy ruptured. Ectopic pregnancies are often only detected when a woman collapses - sometimes unconscious - with severe abdominal pain. Hospital treatment includes immediate resuscitation if necessary, a pregnancy test and an ultrasound scan to confirm the diagnosis.

Dr Peter Bowen-Simpkins of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "This would then be followed by a laparoscopy which allows the doctor to either open the tube and remove the pregnancy or give the woman an injection which causes the mother to reabsorb the pregnancy."

Sometimes part of the tube or all of it may have to be removed but Dr Bowen-Simpkins stressed this would not render the Countess infertile. "If a tube is removed there is a slight reduction in fertility because one tube is not functioning but there is a wealth of evidence to show people with one tube can get pregnant very easily," he said.

An ectopic pregnancy can be lifethreatening. The embryo can rupture the fallopian tube, causing massive internal bleeding and loss of the baby.

Women who become pregnant despite taking he mini progesterone-only pill are three times more likely to suffer an ectopic pregnancy.