Risks

• an allergic reaction to medication or anesthesia
  
• blood clots in the uterus
  
• incomplete abortion — part of the fetus is left inside the uterus
  
• infection
  
• injury to the cervix or other organs
  
• undetected ectopic pregnancy
  
• very heavy bleeding

• Death
  
• Uterine perforation
  
• Cervical lacerations
  
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
  
• Endometritis (Infection)
  
• Long-term health risks:

Breast Cancer – Some studies show that abortion may have a link to breast cancer. “Among parous women, a history of induced abortion was associated with a 90% increased risk for breast cancer (adjusted RR = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-3.2).”J Natl Cancer Inst. 1996 Dec 4;88(23):1759-64.

Cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer – Similarly, some studies indicate an increased risk of these types of cancers with a history of abortion. One such study is "Reproductive Factors and the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Women," International Journal of Cancer, 52:351, 1992.

Emotional Impact: Some women suffer long-term emotional trauma when dealing with an abortion. This is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Pre-term delivery: Women who have had an abortion have a much greater risk of a pre-term delivery.

Placenta Previa : Placenta Previa is a very dangerous condition that has a higher occurrence in woman that have previously terminated a pregnancy with abortion. It occurs when the placenta lies particularly low in the uterus which could cause bleeding or preterm birth. When the uterus is scarred, there is a higher likelihood of this condition occurring.

Click here for a link to the abstract of a paper published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 1981 Dec. 1, 141(7): 769-72.

Click here for a link to the abstract of a paper published in the Journal of Obstet. Gynaecol. Res. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Res. 1999 Apr; 25(2): 137-42.

Any of these complications can lead to serious illness or even death. If you have or suspect you have any of these complications, contact a medical professional right away.