Major Physical Complications From Legal Abortion

Death: According to the best record-based study of deaths following pregnancy and abortion, women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term. In addition, women who carry to term are only half as likely to die as women who were not pregnant.

Cancer: The risk of breast cancer almost doubles after one abortion, and rises even further with two or more abortions. Women with one abortion face a 2.3 relative risk of cervical cancer, compared to non-aborted women. Similar elevated risks of ovarian and liver cancer have also been linked. These increased cancer rates for post-aborted women are apparently linked to the unnatural disruption of the hormonal changes which accompany pregnancy and untreated cervical damage.

Uterine Perforation: Between 2 and 3% of all abortion patients may suffer perforation of their uterus, yet most of these injuries will remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Cervical Lacerations: Even smaller lacerations, or micro fractures, which would normally not be treated may also result in long-term reproductive damage. Latent post-abortion cervical damage may result in subsequent cervical incompetence, premature delivery, and complications of labor.

• Placenta Previa: Abortion increases the risk of placenta previa in later pregnancies (a life threatening condition for both the mother and her wanted pregnancy) by seven to fifteen fold. Abnormal development of the placenta due to uterine damage increases the risk of fetal malformation, perinatal death, and excessive bleeding during labor.

• Subsequent Pre-Term Deliveries & Other Complications of Labor: Women who had one, two, or more previous induced abortions are, respectively, 1.89, 2.66, or 2.03 times more likely to have a subsequent pre-term delivery, compared to women who carry to term. Pre-term delivery increases the risk of neonatal death and handicaps.

• Handicapped Newborns In Later Pregnancies: Abortion is associated with cervical and uterine damage which may increase the risk of premature delivery, complications of labor and abnormal development of the placenta in later pregnancies. These reproductive complications are the leading causes of handicaps among newborns.

• Ectopic Pregnancy: Abortion is significantly related to an increased risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancies, which in turn are life threatening and may result in reduced fertility.

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): Of patients who have a chlamydia infection at the time of the abortion, 23% will develop PID within 4 weeks. Approximately 5% of patients who are not infected by chlamydia develop PID within 4 weeks after a first trimester abortion.

• IMMEDIATE COMPLICATIONS: Approximately 10% of women undergoing elective abortion will suffer immediate complications, of which approximately one-fifth (2%) are considered life threatening. The nine most common major complications which can occur at the time of an abortion are: infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, and endotoxic shock. The most common “minor” complications include: infection, bleeding, fever, second degree burns, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, gastro-intestinal disturbances, and Rh sensitization.

Abortion Risks & Complications (2000) Elliot Institute. Compiled by Dr. David C. Reardon, PhD.