Pregnancy After Abortion: Chances, Safety, And Risks

Medical News Today

• Health Conditions

  Health Conditions

  • Alzheimer's & Dementia
  • Anxiety
  • Asthma & Allergies
  • Atopic Dermatitis
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • COVID-19
  • Diabetes
  • Endometriosis
  • Environment & Sustainability
  • Exercise & Fitness
  • Eye Health
  • Headache & Migraine
  • Health Equity
  • HIV & AIDS
  • Human Biology
  • Leukemia
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Nutrition
  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Psoriasis
  • Sexual Health
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Women's Health
• Health Products

  Health Products

  All
  • Nutrition & Fitness
  • Vitamins & Supplements
  • CBD
  • Sleep
  • Mental Health
  • At-Home Testing
  • Men’s Health
  • Women’s Health
• Discover

  News

  • Latest News
  • Medicare 2026 Costs

  Original Series

  • Medical Myths
  • Honest Nutrition
  • Through My Eyes
  • New Normal Health

  Podcasts

  All
  • Is sleep the missing piece in mental health?
  • Artificial sweeteners and brain aging: What we know so far
  • Does the Mediterranean diet hold the key to longevity?
  • AMA: Registered dietitian answers 5 key questions about fiber and weight loss
  • Health misinformation and disinformation: How to avoid it
  • Brain health, sleep, diet: 3 health resolutions for 2025
• Tools

  General Health

  • Drugs A-Z
  • Health Hubs
  • Newsletter
  • Medicare Plans by State

  Health Tools

  • Find a Doctor
  • BMI Calculators and Charts
  • Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide
  • Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide
  • Sleep Calculator

  Quizzes

  • RA Myths vs Facts
  • Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction
• Connect

  About Medical News Today

  • Who We Are
  • Our Editorial Process
  • Content Integrity
  • Conscious Language

  Find Community

  • Bezzy Breast Cancer
  • Bezzy MS
  • Bezzy Migraine
  • Bezzy Psoriasis

  Follow Us

SubscribeWhat to know about getting pregnant after an abortionMedically reviewed by Stacy A. Henigsman, DO — Written by Jayne Leonard — Updated on January 10, 2023

• Pregnancy after abortion
• Safety and risks
• How soon can you get pregnant?
• How to get pregnant
• Pregnancy test
• Summary

A previous abortion typically does not affect fertility and future pregnancies. A person can get pregnant during the first ovulation cycle following an abortion, which can be as soon as 2 weeks.

The Dobbs decision

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that secured a person’s constitutional right to an abortion.

This means that individual states are now able to decide their own abortion laws. As a result, many states will ban or severely restrict abortion access.

The information in this article was accurate and up to date at the time of publication, but the facts may have changed since. Anyone looking to learn more about their legal rights can message the Repro Legal Helpline via a secure online form or call 844-868-2812.

Share on Pinterest

There are two abortion methods: medical and surgical. The type of abortion a person has may depend on several factors, including how far along the pregnancy is and the person’s preference.

Research suggests that abortions do not affect fertility and that the risks associated with both types of abortion are relatively low.

This means a person can get pregnant soon after having an abortion. Anyone who does not wish to become pregnant within weeks of abortion should use contraception if they are engaging in sexual activities that could lead to pregnancy.

Most of the time, people who have had abortions can go on to have healthy pregnancies. In rarer cases, a person who has had an abortion could experience some complications in later pregnancy.

This article discusses fertility and pregnancy after an induced abortion, including safety factors and risks.

Learn more about fertility after miscarriage.

Does abortion affect future pregnancy?

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), having a previous pregnancy does not increase the risk of infertility after the procedure.

People who do become pregnant after an abortion may experience some pregnancy complications, but the risk of this is low.

In one study that included data on 54,911 abortions among 50,273 women, researchers found that complications occurred in only 2.1% of cases and serious complications occurred in 0.23% of cases.

Safety and risks

Abortions are safest when they happen as early as possible in pregnancy. Complications are more likely when a pregnancy is farther along, regardless of the method of abortion.

Whether a person experiences complications and the degree of their severity may also depend on the type of abortion, a person receives.

A medical abortion involves taking medication, and medical professionals tend to use this method for abortions during the first trimester. A combination of the medications mifepristone and prostaglandin, for example, has a success rate of up to 99%.

A surgical abortion, also known as dilation and curettage (D&C), involves removing the fetus with suction and a tool called a curette.

One large cohort study found a positive association between a surgical termination of pregnancy and later pregnancy complications. These complications include preterm delivery, cervical insufficiency, placental retention, and heavy postpartum bleeding

In rare cases, a surgical abortion can cause scarring of the uterine wall. Doctors call this Asherman syndrome. Scarring may make it more difficult for a person to get pregnant again and may lead to pregnancy loss in the future.

The risks of medical abortion appear to be lower than those of surgical abortion, though this may be true only because medical abortions are more common during early pregnancy. Overall, having an abortion early in pregnancy reduces the risk of complications.

If complications arise, further treatment may be necessary to reduce the risk of future problems. A doctor can advise each individual about the risks.

Can you reduce the risk of pregnancy complications after abortion?

Many doctors recommend waiting until the bleeding ends after either type of abortion before having sex again. Bleeding from an abortion can last for 2 weeks or more.

Other doctors advise waiting until at least one menstrual period has come and gone. Delaying sex will help reduce the risk of infection.

In some cases, it is necessary to delay having sex longer, especially if the abortion took place later in the pregnancy or if there were complications from the abortion procedure itself.

How soon after an abortion can you get pregnant?

Ovulation can occur as soon as 2 weeks after an abortion. This means a person may become pregnant again before their next period. However, menstrual cycles vary in length, and people with shorter cycles may ovulate sooner.

Another factor that influences the timing of ovulation is the duration of the pregnancy before the abortion. If an abortion takes place later in the pregnancy, the person may not ovulate for several weeks afterward. This can occur when pregnancy hormones linger in the body.

A person who wants to avoid pregnancy soon after an abortion may want to use contraception. According to the ACOG, a person can use any contraceptive method, including an intrauterine device, immediately after pregnancy ends.

Anyone who wonders whether they have become pregnant soon after an abortion should take a pregnancy test. If the result is positive, they should see a doctor, who can determine whether there is a new pregnancy or whether leftover pregnancy hormones are present.

How to get pregnant after an abortion

People can become pregnant within 2 weeks of an abortion. For those who are ready to get pregnant again, there is generally no medical reason to delay trying to conceive — unless a doctor advises otherwise.

A person does not need to take extra steps to become pregnant after an abortion.

However, some doctors recommend waiting until the first menstrual period has ended. This will make it easier to estimate the delivery date of the next pregnancy.

Those who have had abortions for medical reasons may want a full medical assessment before trying to conceive again. A checkup can help determine whether a person will experience similar issues with future pregnancies.

When are pregnancy tests accurate after an abortion?

Shortly after an abortion, a pregnancy test may give a false-positive result. This occurs because the body still contains significant levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

While hCG levels tend to fall quickly after an abortion, they can take several days or weeks to return to baseline.

Usually, a home pregnancy test shows an accurate negative result 3 weeks after the end of a pregnancy.

If a pregnancy test shows a positive result after 3 weeks, it may indicate a new pregnancy. To be certain, a person should see a doctor who can carry out a blood test or an ultrasound.

Learn more about false-positive pregnancy tests.

Summary

In most cases, an abortion does not affect fertility or future pregnancies. It is possible to ovulate and become pregnant within 2 weeks after an abortion.

In rare cases, surgical abortion can cause scarring of the uterine wall or damage to the cervix. These complications may make it more difficult to get pregnant again. They can also increase the risk of future pregnancy loss, preterm birth, or low birth weight.

However, both medical and surgical abortions are low risk. The right method will depend on the stage of pregnancy and on a person’s preference. A medical professional can help with this decision.

Anyone who has questions or concerns about pregnancy after an abortion should consult a healthcare professional.

 

• Abortion
• Fertility
• Pregnancy / Obstetrics
• Women's Health / Gynecology

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

• Abortion care. (2021).https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/induced-abortion?utm_source=redirect&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=int
• Early pregnancy loss. (2022).https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Early-Pregnancy-Loss
• How soon can couples have sex again after a miscarriage? (n.d.).https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/how-soon-can-couples-have-sex-again-after-a-miscarriage/
• Jones, H. E., et al. (2017). First trimester medication abortion practice in the United States and Canada.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5638562/
• Miscarriage. (2022).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/miscarriage/what-happens/
• Scholten, B. L., et al. (2013). The influence of pregnancy termination on the outcome of subsequent pregnancies: A retrospective cohort study.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/5/e002803
• Situ, K. C., et al. (2017). Perinatal outcomes after induced termination of pregnancy by methods: A nationwide register-based study of first births in Finland 1996–2013.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184078
• Smikle, C., et al. (2021). Asherman syndrome.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448088/
• Upadhyay, U. D., et al. (2015). Incidence of emergency department visits and complications after abortion.https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Fulltext/2015/01000/Incidence_of_Emergency_Department_Visits_and.29.aspx#pdf-link

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Stacy A. Henigsman, DO — Written by Jayne Leonard — Updated on January 10, 2023

Latest news

• Eat well, live longer: Study links 5 healthy diet plans to longevity
• Psychedelic drug can relieve severe depressive symptoms, phase 2 trial finds
• Stopping eating at least 3 hours before bed may help improve heart health
• Is exercise actually effective at easing osteoarthritis symptoms?
• Are NAD supplements 'the fountain of youth'? Longevity expert weighs in

Related Coverage

• How to care for yourself after an abortionMedically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI

  A medical abortion is generally a safe procedure. However, it is common to experience physical and mental side effects. Learn more.

  READ MORE
• What to know about at-home abortionsMedically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH

  Abortion home remedies are rarely safe or effective. In this article, learn about the other options for people looking to end their pregnancy at home.

  READ MORE
• Abortion pill: What it does and how it worksMedically reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH

  The abortion pill is a two-step medication that helps end an early pregnancy. Learn more here.

  READ MORE
• Abortion pill: How to know if it worked

  Ways to know the abortion pill has worked include the symptoms a person experiences and the results of follow-up tests. Learn more here.

  READ MORE
• Can abortion cause ectopic pregnancy?

  There is no firm evidence that abortions cause ectopic pregnancies. Factors that can contribute include smoking, infections, or tissue damage.

  READ MORE