
Florence Welch, the lead singer of Florence + the Machine, has opened up about a terrifying health emergency that almost ended her life.
In a new interview with The Guardian, the 39-year-old musician revealed she suffered an ectopic pregnancy in 2023 and underwent emergency surgery that saved her.
Welch said she learned she was pregnant at 37 with her on-and-off guitarist boyfriend, whose identity she keeps private.
It was her first time trying to have a child. Not long after, she miscarried but believed it was something she could cope with, PageSix reported.
According to the World Health Organization, one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, though many go unrecognized.
Despite her loss, Welch was scheduled to headline the Cornwall Music Festival just a week later. She performed through heavy bleeding and intense pain, taking ibuprofen to get through the show.
Her doctor urged her to get checked as soon as she returned to London. That decision proved to be lifesaving.
Doctors discovered Welch's fallopian tube had ruptured, causing massive internal bleeding. "I had a Coke can's worth of blood in my abdomen," she told sources, describing the severity of the situation.
Florence Welch features in The Guardian Saturday magazine. In the intimate issue, she opens up about her pregnancy that almost led to her death requiring surgery to save her life, and how it's impacted her since ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/iFdRUbSlA0
— The Florence + the Machine Fan Club (@FATMFanClub) September 26, 2025
Florence Welch on Life-Threatening Scare
According to US Magazine, Welch underwent emergency surgery to remove the damaged tube. "If I'd got on that plane, I'd have come off on a stretcher. Or worse," she added.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, most often in a fallopian tube. The Mayo Clinic warns that it can lead to life-threatening bleeding if not treated immediately.
The ordeal took a physical and emotional toll. Welch described an almost "animal instinct" to run during the procedure, but she was unable to move.
She recalled the sound she made as "like a wounded animal" when the ordeal came to an end. Despite everything, she was back on stage just ten days later.
Welch admitted the experience changed how she views balancing her personal and professional life.
She said she still hopes to have a family one day but feels the trauma underscored how hard it is to pursue motherhood alongside a demanding music career.
"There's a feeling of dying a little bit every time I make a record," she reflected. "And, this time, I nearly died."
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