One abortion alone increases risk of life-threatening complications, study finds
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A new study has found that having just one abortion increases the risk of medical complications in future pregnancies that are potentially fatal for both mother and child.
The study, conducted by the University of Aberdeen, found that one termination alone increases the risk of numerous life-threatening problems in subsequent pregnancies. This includes premature births and pre-eclampsia, a condition which causes the death of at least 1,000 babies and 6 mothers a year.
The study also found that women who terminate their first pregnancy were 37 per cent more likely to give birth prematurely compared to women who carry their first pregnancy to term.
Babies born prematurely are at higher risk of infection, hypothermia and death.
Philippa Taylor of the Christian Medical Fellowship said: “This study confirms many previous findings... that all show a clear link between abortion and an increased risk of a later pre-term birth.”
Risk of death
A separate Danish study found that abortion significantly increases the chances of maternal death.
Published in the European Journal of Public Health, the results show that women are at higher risk of death after a first trimester abortion when compared to women who choose to deliver a first pregnancy.
The risk was found to be much higher for abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy (331 per cent higher risk of death after one year and 141 per cent after 10 years).
The research, conducted by Priscilla Coleman and David C.Reardon, examined the medical and death records of 463,374 women over a 30-year period.
It concluded that the risk of death amongst women aborting their first pregnancy was 6 times higher compared to women who had carried each of their pregnancies to term. A decreased risk of death was found to be associated with multiple births.
Comment
Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
“The dangers of abortion are not widely known. The research is showing that it is not good for women’s health or for the prospects of their future children.
“We need to raise the profile of other options like adoption and make them more accessible to women who choose to keep their children against the odds.
“This has to be done for the sake of women’s well-being and that of their babies.”
Sources:
Study in European Journal of Public Health
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