Table of contents:
- Risks experienced by women who have had an abortion
- What if I have had multiple abortions?
- When is a safe time to try to get pregnant again after an abortion?
For one reason or another, you may have had an abortion in the past. Now that you are ready to have a baby, you feel anxious, "Could it be that because I had an abortion, it would be difficult for me to get pregnant?"
Risks experienced by women who have had an abortion
In general, abortion is not thought to cause fertility problems or complications in pregnancy. However, some research suggests that women who have had an abortion have an increased risk of:
- Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy
- Premature birth
- Low baby weight
- Placenta problems
When having a medical abortion, a woman must take some medicine in early pregnancy to abort the fetus. In surgical abortion, the fetus is removed from the uterus usually by means of a vacuum, syringe, or spoon-shaped device with sharp edges (curette), as part of the surgical procedure. Although rare, surgical abortion can damage the cervix or uterus. In such cases, surgery may be needed to repair the damage before a woman can become pregnant again.
In addition, there is a small chance of a weakened cervix, which can cause the cervix to open earlier (premature or incompetent cervix) in subsequent pregnancies. However, it is more likely to occur in women who have had more than once surgical abortion.
If you have had an abortion before and are concerned about the possible effects on a future pregnancy, please discuss this with your doctor. Your doctor will help you understand the possible risks and what you can do to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
What if I have had multiple abortions?
Research shows that having multiple abortions has the same effect on your fertility as having only one abortion.
Only one thing that affects your pregnancy if you have had multiple abortions is that you have a higher risk of having a miscarriage. However, this is a very rare case. Overall, the abortion will not affect your ability to conceive, nor will you and your baby's health during pregnancy. Therefore, past abortion is not something you should be worried about.
When is a safe time to try to get pregnant again after an abortion?
It all depends on the readiness of you and your partner to have a baby.
We understand that after an abortion (even if it happened a few years ago) you may have doubts about getting pregnant again. Your partner may hesitate too. The thing to remember is, don't let you or your partner feel forced to make the decision to get pregnant again, before you are both really ready.
It would be wise for you and your partner not to rush into trying to get pregnant again after you had your recent abortion, because your body needs time to heal. At the very least, it is highly recommended that you go through one or two normal menstrual cycles before trying to conceive again.
If there is a medical reason behind your decision to terminate a previous pregnancy, you should discuss it with your doctor before trying to get pregnant again. You can also talk to your doctor if you still have questions about pregnancy after the abortion.
