- With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
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Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
"Nothing helps people stay healthy more than the power of real knowledge about health." — Dr. Roger Harms
As medical editor-in-chief, Dr. Roger Harms is excited about the potential for MayoClinic.com to help educate people about their health and provide them the tools and information to live healthier lives.
The Auburn, Neb., native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1981 and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Harms is a consultant and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and his specialty areas include office gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and obstetrical ultrasound.
From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Harms was director for education for Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Harms was the 1988 Mayo Medical School Teacher of the Year and served as associate dean for student affairs and academic affairs before taking this leadership role. He is the co-author of the "Mayo Clinic Model of Education." In 2008, Dr. Harms was presented the Distinguished Educator Award, Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Dr. Harms is vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and medical editor of the Pregnancy section on this Web site. In addition, Dr. Harms is editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" book, a month-by-month guide to everything a woman needs to know about having a baby.
"My medical education experience has grown out of a love of teaching, and that is what this site is about," Dr. Harms says. "If any visitor to this site makes a more informed and thus more comfortable decision about his or her health because of the information we provide, we are successful."
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- see all in Fertility
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Question
Abortion: Does it affect subsequent pregnancies?
Could an abortion increase the risk of problems in a subsequent pregnancy?
Answer
from Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Only rarely would an abortion cause problems in a subsequent pregnancy.
During a medical abortion, a woman takes oral medications — such as mifepristone, misoprostol or methotrexate — in early pregnancy to abort the fetus. Medical abortions haven't been linked to infertility or complications in subsequent pregnancies.
During a surgical abortion, the fetus is removed from the uterus — often with a vacuum device, a syringe or a spoon-shaped instrument with a sharp edge (curette) — as an outpatient surgical procedure. Rarely, a surgical abortion may weaken the cervix or cause scarring on the inside of the uterus. If such damage occurs, surgery may be needed to correct the problems before a woman can conceive again or carry a subsequent pregnancy to term.
If you've had an abortion and are concerned about the possible impact on a future pregnancy, consult your health care provider. He or she can help you understand the potential issues in your case.
Next questionBaby's sex: Can parents choose?
- Shulman LP, et al. Overview of pregnancy termination. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 2, 2009.
- Abortion. In: Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 22nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=742847. Accessed June 2, 2009.
- Winer N, et al. Is induced abortion with misoprostol a risk factor for late term abortion or preterm delivery in subsequent pregnancies? European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2009;145:53.
- Swingle HM, et al. Abortion and the risk of subsequent preterm birth. Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2009;54:95.
