Gestation, birth-weight, and spontaneous abortion in pregnancy after induced abortion. Report of Collaborative Study by W.H.O. Task Force on Sequelae of Abortion.

The outcome of pregnancy in 7228 women from eight European cities was studied. In two of the three city clusters, there was a significantly higher risk of adverse outcome in terms of either mid-trimester spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery, or low-birth-weight infant among women whose only previous pregnancy had been surgically terminated only previous pregnancy had been surgically terminated than among primigravidae or women whose only previous pregnancy had ended in live birth. In one city cluster in which surgical termination was accomplished both by conventional dilatation and currettage and by vacuum aspiration (V.A.), an increased risk of short gestation was noted for V.A., but the overall total risk of adverse outcome was not significantly increased. In the third city cluster, in which surgical termination was nearly entirely by V.A., induced abortion was not associated with any increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. The effects of spontaneous abortion on the subsequent pregnancy are similar to those of induced abortion.