Do Abortions Affect Subsequent Pregnancies and Fertility?

The World Health Organization classifies abortion as a human right in which a person has the right to "decide freely and responsibly" without using violence and being forced to decide the number, timing, and spacing of having children.

Despite the UN health agency's recognition, abortion still receives a lot of misinformation and misconceptions. In fact, abortion is still illegal in many countries today.

But how does abortion affect a woman's fertility? This relevant issue has stopped many women from seeking out abortion procedures. Myths and misconceptions about becoming infertile after an abortion only attach stigma, which prevents people from having access to treatment and information.

Abortion vs. Fertility

According to the Guttmacher Institute, there are about 121 million unwanted or unintended pregnancies from 2015 to 2019. Among these numbers of pregnancies, about 61% are ending in abortion.

Some people may not necessarily plan to have a baby. However, when an unexpected pregnancy happens, many consider abortion. Of course, most would be concerned as to whether or not fertility would be affected after getting an abortion.

Despite the misconceptions of abortion leading to infertility in women, no evidence suggests that either a medical or surgical abortion affects one's fertility, most especially when it is done in a safe setting by a professional.

However, around 25 million unsafe abortions happen each year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. An unsafe abortion does not only put the mother's fertility at risk but also her life. That is why experts recommend conducting abortions in a safe clinical setting to avoid such risks.

Dr. Jen Gunter said that existing data does not tell any link between future fertility and abortion in the past as long as it was done safely. The impact on future fertility is only concerned when there are complications during an abortion.

These procedures could cause the woman to have difficulties conceiving in the future. The uterine lining might have been injured from a previous procedure where it could become infected or damaged from severe bleeding that would likely require surgery.

According to statistics, the likelihood of running into complications that lead to infertility is only 0.23% in a legal abortion procedure done in the United States. If the woman decided to terminate the pregnancy at a later stage, the risk would rise to 0.41%.

Is abortion safe?

Questions about safety also prevent people from getting an abortion. But Planned Parenting said that these procedures are generally safe and about twice as safe as getting the tonsils out and much safer than giving birth.

The type of procedure is based on how far along the woman is in her pregnancy. For ten weeks of pregnancy, medical abortion is advised, and the patient will be given pills to terminate the pregnancy. The patient would feel cramps, discomfort, and nausea afterward.

The doctor would explain the support available to the patient. But if a medical abortion is not applicable, the second option, a surgical abortion, will be put in place.

In general, abortions are safe, but like any other procedure, it comes with a risk, said the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. These risks include infection or excessive bleeding. It is advisable to reach out to medical experts for any concerns and clarifications regarding the procedure.

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