Does Abortion Affect Future Pregnancies?

Women often have queries related to pregnancy after abortion. If you’ve had or are considering an abortion, your mind might strike up with a question: “Does abortion affect future pregnancies?”. There is also a lot of misconception about abortion that it can affect future pregnancies or fertility. People also believe that women who have gone through an abortion may experience preterm birth, premature babies, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and various complications. Regardless, all these affirmations are a hoax.

In general, abortion is a safe medical procedure done via surgeries or medications and it does not affect the chance of having a healthy pregnancy in the future. Nonetheless, one can get pregnant within a few weeks of undergoing an abortion procedure.

Status of Abortion Care in India

A recent study of a national model from emergency departments found that nearly 40-50 out of every 1000 women of reproductive age undergo abortions each year, with an abortion rate of 260-450 per 1000 live births. Approximately 6 million abortions occur annually in India, with 2 million being natural and 4 million being intentional. Complications are extremely uncommon when a certified doctor does the abortion with specialized training.

Types of Abortions

Abortion is a common, and safe procedure and it is usually of two types: Medical and Surgical. Here’s a detailed overview of both procedures:

Medical Abortion

Medical abortion is a non-surgical procedure usually done through ‘abortion pills’. It is a safe, effective, and painless way to end the occurrence of pregnancy. Medical abortions are usually performed by administering a combination of two drugs: mifepristone, followed by misoprostol. Mifepristone works by restricting the functioning of hormones, as progesterone supports early pregnancy, and Misoprostol causes contractions, expelling pregnancy tissues. To terminate early pregnancy, the success rate of this procedure is 95-98%.

Surgical Abortion

A surgical abortion is a safe, practised, and legal procedure performed to terminate an unwanted pregnancy for various general or medical reasons. In this procedure, the fetus and placenta are ejected from the uterus by gentle vacuum suction, dilating the cervix, or curette. This procedure is performed under local anaesthesia and hardly takes ten to fifteen minutes. The success rate of surgical abortions is extremely impressive and works more than 99 out of 100 times.

Can I Conceive Again After an Abortion?

Yes, it is possible to ovulate and become pregnant after having an abortion unless you’re not diagnosed with severe medical reasons. A woman can conceive naturally within two weeks of an abortion or after her first menstruation. It is common to get worried about your fertility, but there is no link between the abortion and future pregnancies. Medical research has illustrated that even having more than one abortion usually does not impact the woman’s fertility as the body may start ovulating a few weeks after the procedure. If you do not want to keep the pregnancy, start taking contraception right away after an abortion.

Does Multiple Abortions Affect the Future Pregnancy?

It is unlikely that having multiple past abortions typically affects your fertility or chances of a healthy pregnancy. In extremely rare cases, it is possible that a person can face difficulty in getting pregnant due to various general or medical reasons, such as:

• Scars in uterus tissues
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ageing and lifestyle factors
• Consumption of drugs or alcohol

We also do not neglect the fact of pregnancy difficulties after an abortion. You may experience some complications, but the risks are usually low, treatable, and worryless. Hence, women must get proper medical care and follow-up after an abortion to mitigate potential risks. If you are aspiring to safe and professional abortion services, Dr. Ruchi Rai Ahuja is a specialist in the gynaecology field and a foremost expert, providing compassionate and confidential care.