Abortion: Harmful Effects

Knowledge Base

Abortion has lasting consequences
for the women who have them.

Psychological Problems

Depression and despair are common after abortion.

Women who abort have a six times higher rate of suicide than those who carry their babies to term.1

Teenagers who abort are 10 times more likely to attempt suicide than teens who have not had an abortion.2

Compared to women who gave birth, women who aborted were 65% more likely to be at risk of long-term clinical depression.3

Physical Complications

  • Perforation of the uterus
  • Hemorrhaging
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Endotoxic shock
  • Major unintended surgery
  • Infection
  • Convulsions
  • Undiagnosed ectopic (tubal) pregnancy
  • Cervical laceration
  • Uterine rupture
  • Death4

Future Risks

Women who abort not only put their own lives and health at risk; they also endanger the lives of their current and future children.

Women who abort are more likely to experience future ectopic pregnancy, infertility, hysterectomy, stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth than women who have not had abortions.5

Women who abort are 144% more likely to physically abuse their children.6
Women who have undergone previous abortions have a 60% higher risk of miscarriage.7

Women who abort have a 44% increased risk of breast cancer.8

1 Gissler,M, Karalis, E, Ulander, V.M. “Suicide rate after induced abortion decreased in Finland after Current Care Guidelines” The European Journal of Public Health, DOI: First published online: 31 October 2014. Web. | 2 Garfinkel,B. et al. “Stress, Depression and Suicide: A Study of Adolescents in Minnesota,” Responding to High Risk Youth (University of Minnesota: Minnesota Extension Service, 1986). | 3 Cougle, Jesse R., Reardon, David C., Coleman, Priscilla K. “Depression associated with abortion and childbirth: a long-term analysis of the NLSY cohort.” Med Science Monitor 2003; 9(4): CR105-112 ID: 4701 Published: 2003-04-23. Web. | 4 “Abortion Risks: A list of major physical complications related to abortion” Afterabortion.org. Web. | 5 Ibid. | 6 Coleman, P.K., Maxey, C.D., Rue, V.M., Coyle, C.T. “Associations between voluntary and involuntary forms of perinatal loss and child maltreatment among low-income mothers.” Acta Paediatrica. 2005 Oct;94(10):1476-83. Web. | 7 Lee,S.J., Steer,P.J.,Filippi, V. “Seasonal patterns and preterm birth: a systematic review of the literature and an analysis in a London-based cohort” British Journal of Medicine, DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.01055.x. Web. | 8 Huang Y, Zhang X, Li W, Song F, Dai H, Wang J, Gao Y, Liu X, Chen C, Yan Y, Wang Y, Chen K., “A meta-analysis of the association between induced abortion and breast cancer risk among Chinese females.“ Cancer Causes Control. 2014 Feb;25 (2):227-36. doi: 10.1007/s10552-013-0325-7. Epub 2013 Nov 24.