Factors influencing the risk of repeat termination of pregnancy: A register-based study in Finland

This study aimed to assess how factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, termination of pregnancy (TOP) related factors and contraception affect the risk of repeat TOP.

This is a nationwide register-based study of 193,741 women who had TOP(s) during 1987-2015, using the Finnish Register of Induced Abortions. The risk of various factors, such as age, marital status, residence, parity, TOP related factors and contraception, was assessed separately for each repeat TOP. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate risk of different factors for repeat TOPs.

21% of the women having TOP had repeat TOPs during the years 1987-2015. Among women with repeat TOPs, more than 70% had one repeat TOP and the rest had two or more. Older, married and rural or semi-urban women had reduced risk of repeat TOPs. Adjusted risk for one repeat TOP was higher among parous women (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.61-1.72). No significant risk for repeat TOP was observed by method in sub-analysis for the recent period after 2006. Women using less reliable (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.23) and unreliable (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.23-1.43) contraception had increased risk of repeat TOP than women using reliable contraception.

Older age, being married, residing in rural or semi-urban areas and using reliable contraception were found to be protective factors for repeat TOPs whereas, parous women had higher risk for repeat TOPs. Proper counselling regarding contraception and use of reliable contraception immediately after TOP should be encouraged.