How does abortions affect future pregnancy

Medical research and literature have found that abortion, surgical or medication , is unlikely to affect the chance of being able to get pregnant, and have a healthy pregnancy, in the future.

There is a lot of misinformation about the actual health risks associated with the termination of pregnancy. Some websites try to scare women away from having an abortion by saying that abortion causes cancer, emotional problems or infertility. But these things are not true. In fact regarding infertility, women can become pregnant within days of having an abortion procedure.

As with other surgical procedures, there are some rare and serious complications that may arise from an abortion, such as infection or injury to the uterus or cervix, that when left untreated may affect future pregnancy.

A recent analysis of a national emergency department sample estimated that approximately 1 million abortion procedures take place in the United State each year, and the complication rate for those procedures is less than 1 in And this includes all complications such as treatable infections, incomplete procedures that may be corrected, and surgical injuries of varying severity. Medication abortion and surgical abortion are both safe procedures.

If these symptoms are caused by an infection, then you may need antibiotics to get rid of it. You may also be given antibiotics before the procedure to reduce the risk of infection. This is known as pelvic inflammatory disease PID and it could reduce your fertility or increase the chances of an ectopic pregnancy if the fallopian tubes become scarred.

Around 1 in 10 women who have PID will experience fertility problems. If you notice symptoms of PID such as pelvic pain, unusual discharge, or bleeding between periods at any time after your abortion then you should see a doctor. Antibiotics can clear up the infection and prevent any further damage to the fallopian tubes. Most women who have PID will be able to conceive naturally, especially when it is treated quickly. The contents on this site is for information only, and is not meant to substitute the advice of your own physician or other medical professional.

Pregnancy After Abortion You should be able to have a completely normal pregnancy and birth after an abortion. Uterine Scarring In rare cases, a surgical abortion can result in damage to the uterus.

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