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The effect of induced abortion on subsequent fertility
P Frank1, R McNamee, P C Hannaford
1Royal College of General Practitioners, Manchester, UK.
Objective:
To investigate the effect of induced abortion on subsequent fertility.
Design:
1. Prospective cohort study of women who had an unplanned pregnancy at recruitment. 2. Retrospective study of women who had a planned pregnancy at recruitment.
Setting:
Joint Royal College of General Practitioners/Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists study based in general practice in England, Scotland and Wales, between 1976 and 1987.
Subjects:
1. Prospective study: Four hundred and thirty-three women with a recruitment unplanned pregnancy ending in induced abortion (abortion group) and 1035 women with a recruitment unplanned pregnancy which ended naturally (nonabortion group). All subsequently had a planned pregnancy, or were known to be trying to conceive at some point during the follow-up. 2. Retrospective study: Nine thousand two hundred and ninety-nine women who presented at recruitment with a planned pregnancy.
Main Outcome Measure:
The women's estimated length of planning time, expressed as a fertility rate ratio.
Results:
Induced abortion was not related to future fertility. In the prospective study, the fertility rate ratio (FRR) of the abortion group relative to the nonabortion group was 0.94 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.07, P = 0.37). This result was supported by the retrospective study, which again showed no important difference between the two groups.
Conclusion:
Induced abortion does not appear to have an important effect on future fertility.