Termination of pregnancy
Abortions are generally very safe and most women won't experience any problems.
But like any medical treatment, there is a small risk that something could go wrong. The risk of complications increases the later in pregnancy an abortion is carried out.
This page covers:
Effect on fertility and future pregnancies
The main risks associated with an abortion are:
Women who have an abortion are no more likely to experience mental health problems than those who continue with their pregnancy.
There is also no link between having an abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer .
After having an abortion, you'll probably experience some period-type pains and vaginal bleeding.
This should start to gradually improve after a few days, but can last for one to two weeks. It's normal and is usually nothing to worry about.
But you should get advice if you experience any signs of a possible problem, such as:
The clinic will provide you with the number of a 24-hour helpline to call if you experience any problems after an abortion.
Having an abortion won't affect your chances of becoming pregnant and having normal pregnancies in the future.
Many women are able to get pregnant immediately afterwards, so you should start using contraception right away if you don't want this to happen. You should be advised about this at the time you have the abortion.
However, there's a very small risk to your fertility and future pregnancies if you develop a womb infection that isn't treated promptly. The infection could spread to your fallopian tubes and ovaries known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) .
PID can increase the risk of infertility or ectopicpregnancy , where an egg implants itself outside of the womb.
But most infections are treated before they reach this stage and you'll often be given antibiotics before an abortion to reduce the risk of infection.
Having several abortions is associated with a slightly increased risk of giving birth prematurely ,before the 37th week of pregnancy, in future pregnancies.
Talk to your doctor or an abortion advice service for more information if you're concerned about the possible risks of an abortion.
Find out what an abortion involves, how you can get one on the NHS, and what support is available to help you make a decision. An abortion is the medical process of ending a pregnancy so it doesn't result in the birth of a baby. It's also sometimes known as a termination. The pregnancy is ended either by taking medications or having a minor surgical procedure.
Abortions can only be carried out in hospitals or licensed clinics. Before having an abortion, you'll need to attend an assessment appointment at the hospital or clinic. There are two main types of abortion: medical abortion (the "abortion pill") taking medication to end the pregnancy, surgical abortion a minor procedure to remove the pregnancy
Abortions are generally very safe and most women won't experience any problems. But like any medical treatment, there is a small risk that something could go wrong. The risk of complications increases the later in pregnancy an abortion is carried out. Talk to your doctor or an abortion advice service for more information if you're concerned about the possible risks of an abortion.