Taking the journey towards starting a family after an abortion can come with a mix of emotions and questions. One might ponder common concerns addressed about pregnancy after abortion, such as its impact on future pregnancies and the health of a future baby. It’s crucial to know all the facts and dispel any myths, setting your mind at ease.
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I became an All-American track and field athlete and visited several different locations after my abortion, eventually settling in one of them. This internship has helped me tremendously in my professional development. And I found someone I’m excited to raise a family with.
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I made a choice that I won’t ever come to regret. I decided to prioritize my physical well-being and overall quality of life. I wasn’t prepared to be a mom when I was younger, but I am now. My doctor says I’m in excellent shape to start trying again. It’s natural to worry about the effects of abortion on future pregnancies.
The good news is that there is no longer any doubt that medically-recommended abortion procedures pose no risk to the mother or her unborn child. According to research conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, all four types of abortion are safe and effective. However, I talked to OB-GYN Shamsah Amersi, M.D., to discover more about the chances of becoming pregnant again following an abortion.
Dr. Amersi has been in practice for over 20 years and has helped birth over 10,000 babies. In this article, she addresses some of the most often-asked questions that emerge throughout the recovery process following an abortion.
1. Can You Get Pregnant Again If You’ve Already Had One?
People who have undergone abortions often worry that the procedure has ruined their fertility. However, she maintains that having an abortion will not necessarily affect future fertility and that a medical abortion, such as the abortion pill, is better than having an abortion performed surgically. That’s because there’s a small chance of scarring and tissue damage after a surgical abortion. However, the danger is minimal and is more likely to occur if multiple treatments are performed simultaneously.
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Scar tissue formed as a result of a woman having her uterus operated on more than once can interfere with her ability to conceive. Asherman’s Syndrome, the condition characterized by this scar tissue, is extremely uncommon, as confirmed by the Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Amersi stresses that a single abortion procedure is not to blame: It won’t have any effect on you if you’ve only had one procedure, but it will have a significant influence if you’ve had several.
2. Is it Difficult to Conceive After Having an Abortion?
Abortion does not make it more difficult to conceive, according to experts. Actually, it’s more of the contrary now that your fertility has been established. You’ve proven your ability to conceive. However, there is zero evidence to suggest that conceiving is less of a challenge following an abortion. While there are a number of variables to consider when determining a person’s fertility, a history of abortion is not one of them.
3. What Are the Consequences of Abortion on Future Pregnancies
Having an abortion is safe for future pregnancies. Patients who have had an abortion and then experience a miscarriage often worry that the two are related, according to Dr. Amersi. But she assures them there is no connection. Miscarriage risk is not higher for women who have had an abortion.
If you decide to get pregnant again after having an abortion, there are no more risks. Pregnancy symptoms following an abortion are similar to those experienced before the procedure.
According to the Mayo Clinic, having an abortion does not raise the risk of having a healthy baby in the future. Even though it is still unclear if having repeated surgical abortions makes it more likely that a baby will be born early or with low birth weight, there is some evidence that this may be the case.
4. When Is It Safe to Get Pregnant Again After an Abortion?
Dr. Amersi recommends waiting for one menstrual cycle after a pregnancy loss (miscarriage, abortion, etc.) before trying again. She understands that choosing to have an abortion is a difficult choice, and she advises patients to give themselves time to physically and emotionally recover before proceeding.
Dr. Amersi says that feelings of mental anguish are common during the recovery process and should be expected. Patient self-compassion, not self-judgment, friend support, and mental health services like counseling are her recommendations.
Meaningful articles you might like: What to Expect from Fetal Movements During Pregnancy, What to Expect from Pregnancy After a Stillbirth and How to Cope, How The Texas Abortion Ban Affects Abortion Seekers