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.
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.
Entities:
Keywords:
Abortion, Induced; Cohort Analysis; Comparative Studies; Demographic Analysis; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; England; Europe; Family Planning; Fertility; Fertility Control, Postconception; Life Table Method; Northern Europe; Population; Population Dynamics; Pregnancy, Planned; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Prospective Studies; Reproductive Behavior; Research Methodology; Research Report; Retrospective Studies; Scotland; Studies; United Kingdom; Wales
Authors: Leo Han; Emily R Boniface; Lisa Yin Han; Jonathan Albright; Nora Doty; Blair G Darney Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2020-10-26 Impact factor: 5.428