The idea that a past abortion may be preventing pregnancy most often turns out to be all in a woman’s head. No reliable evidence shows any connection between past first trimester surgical abortions or medical abortions (which terminate pregnancy through medication rather than surgery) and current or future fertility. If there were complications after the abortion, however, such as a post-operative infection or hemorrhage, there is a possibility that a woman’s fallopian tubes could have suffered some damage. While many women feel guilt over past abortions, doctors say that in the majority of cases future pregnancies should not be affected. The message: get a checkup to rule out physical problems. And focus on the future rather than the past.
