Will the Abortion Pill Affect My Future Fertility?

No. The abortion pill does not change your chances of getting pregnant later. Decades of research support this. So do the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Studies of thousands of patients show the same pregnancy rates in people who had an abortion and people who did not. The pills do not damage your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. They do not cause scarring or other problems that could get in the way of a future pregnancy.

If you hope to have children one day, the abortion pill will not stand in the way of those plans.

The evidence here is clear. Large studies have found no link between abortion and trouble getting pregnant later.

A 2021 review in the journal Contraception looked at data from many studies. It found the abortion pill does not raise the risk of problems in later pregnancies. It saw no added risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, preterm birth, or low birth weight.

ACOG states directly that having an abortion does not affect future fertility. The WHO says the same in its care guidelines. These findings rest on more than 25 years of research on the abortion pill.

The evidence is very strong for the abortion pill (also called medication abortion) because no tools enter the uterus. So there is no physical way for mifepristone or misoprostol to cause lasting harm to your body.

You can get pregnant again very soon after taking the abortion pill. Ovulation, the release of an egg, can happen as early as 2 weeks after the abortion is complete. That means you could get pregnant before your next period arrives.

If you do not want to get pregnant right away, start using birth control soon after your abortion. The doctor at your appointment or follow-up visit can go over your options. Many types of birth control can start soon after the process is done, including the pill, IUD, implant, and injection.

If you do want to get pregnant later, most doctors suggest waiting until you have had at least one normal period before trying. That makes it easier to date a new pregnancy, and there is no medical need to wait longer.

The abortion pill does not harm your chances of getting pregnant, but the false claim that it does is old. It has been around for decades, since before the abortion pill existed. The claim likely comes from a time when abortions were done in less safe ways. Back then, problems from a procedure could sometimes cause scarring or infection that made it hard to get pregnant, and those problems are rare with modern care.

The abortion pill works in a different way. It uses medicine to end the pregnancy, and no tools enter the uterus. There is no cutting, scraping, or suction, so the risk of problems that could affect fertility is very low.

False claims about abortion and fertility still spread online and through anti-abortion groups. When you weigh a claim about abortion, look for facts from trusted medical groups like ACOG, the WHO, and the FDA.

No. Having more than one abortion does not make it harder to get pregnant later. Research shows a repeat abortion with pills carries the same low risk as a first one. The risks do not add up in your body over time.

A study in the journal Human Reproduction compared patients who had one abortion with patients who had more than one. Both groups were just as able to get pregnant and carry a healthy pregnancy.

Each abortion pill process is a separate event. Your body fully clears the medicines within days, and things go back to normal. Your doctor can answer any questions about your own health history.

No. The abortion pill does not raise the risk of problems in future pregnancies. Studies found no added risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, placenta previa, preterm birth, or low birth weight after an abortion with pills.

When you are ready to get pregnant, your chances of a healthy pregnancy are the same as they would have been without the abortion.

If you have other health issues that affect fertility, those are separate from your abortion history. Your doctor can help you sort out what applies to you.

Call The Center for Women at (708) 450-4545 to schedule your appointment. Same-day, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

The clinic is at 10215 W. Roosevelt Rd. #101, Westchester, IL 60154. The abortion pill is available for patients up to 10 weeks pregnant, and the all-inclusive cost is $380. That price covers your visit with the doctor, the ultrasound, all medicines, and your follow-up visit. The doctor can answer your questions about fertility and birth control while you are there.