Complications of Induced Abortion

General Introduction

• General introduction to abortion complications

Induced Abortion and Pre-Term Birth

• General comments on the increased risk of preterm birth in pregnancies subsequent to abortion. Also comments on the Thorp Literature Review of 2002. Calhoon-Rooney 2002 review of the following recent literature: Australian study (Lumley 1993 and 1998), Bavarian study (1998), Danish study (1999). Comments on The Europop Study (2004), and The Epipage Study (2005).
• 2006 Institute of Medicine Report on pre-term birth and induced abortion.
• 2008 study from Germany shows association between induced abortion and increased risk of PreTerm Birth in subsequent pregnancy.
• March 2009 Swingle Metanalysis confirms association between abortion and subsequent preterm birth, and demonstrates "dose effect" (the more abortions, the higher the risk for PTB for the individual woman).
• March 2009 Dutch literature review confirms the association between induced abortion and subsequent preterm birth.
• September 2009 Shah Metanalysis confirms abortion-subsequent preterm birth association.
• October 2009 Summary of recent studies confirming that induced abortion is associated with an increased risk of pre-term birth.
• African-American women, pre-term birth, and induced abortion
• Pre-term birth, cerebral palsy, and induced abortion
• Eighteen (18) Statistically Significant Studies showing association between abortion and very premature (<32 wks) birth and very low birthweight births (1500 gms or 3 pounds 4 ounces)
• Bibliography of 112 Studies showing the abortion/subsequent preterm birth association from 1960's to present

Induced Abortion and Maternal Mortality

• Introduction to induced abortion and maternal mortality
• Induced abortion and maternal suicide
• Induced abortion and maternal homicide
• Induced abortion and natural cause maternal death

Induced Abortion and Mental Health

• The Alliance for Post Abortion Research and Training The dual purpose of the Alliance for Post-Abortion Research and Training is to engage in the scientific study of the mental health risks of abortion and to disseminate accurate information concerning such risks to those who provide education about abortion and/or post-abortion counseling. This website is extensive and extremely valuable.
• A full bibliography of articles concerning women's mental health issues and abortion can be found at APART's publications listing.
• Induced abortion and mental health
• Complete bibliography on Abortion and Mental Health literature up to 2009.
• AAPLOG Response to the APA Task Force Report
  AAPLOG comments on the APA Task Force report on Abortion and Mental Health accepted by APA in August 2008. This scientifically inadequate report does a great disservice to women with post abortion mental health issues.
• Three more recent studies (from US, Australia, and New Zeeland) show association between induced abortion and increased rates of depression
• Induced abortion mental health research update
• Psychology of abortion studies, 2002-2008
• Induced abortion and adolescence studies
• Abortion and Mental Health
  September 2009. Does abortion cause mental health problems? The evidence for abortion as a cause of subsequent adverse mental health outcomes.

Induced Abortion and Breast Cancer

• Induced abortion and subsequent breast cancer risk: An Overview
• The Howe Study
  The Howe study, done in 1989, was based totally on a prospective data base from the state of New York (both fetal death and breast cancer being mandated as reportable diseases). There is no possibility of "recall bias" influencing the result. The study found a 90% increase in breast cancer by age 40 among women who had undergone induced abortion, compared to those who carried their pregnancy to delivery. (We apologize for the poor quality of the reprint). AAPLOG includes comments following the article.
• The Daling Study
  The Daling study was specifically commissioned and funded by the United States National Cancer Institute to investigate the abortion/breast cancer link. 845 women with breast cancer were compared with 961 controls. Janet Daling's group found an overall 50% breast cancer risk increase by age 45 for women who have had an induced abortion. A 12% lifetime chance of developing breast cancer becomes an 18% lifetime chance. Among women with a family history of breast cancer (mother, grandmother, sister, or aunt), the increase in risk was 80%. If the woman had her abortion before she was 18, the increase in risk was more than 100% (doubled!). If the woman had both risk factors (family history, and abortion before 18), the risk was incalculably high, i.e., there were 12 such women out of 1800 in the study, and ALL TWELVE DEVELOPED BREAST CANCER BY AGE 45.
• Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer
  Prospective studies avoid the potential errors that may be a problem in certain interview based studies. However, prospective studies may also be subject to erroneous conclusions. This 2005 article analyzes several recent prospective studies dealing with the abortion/breast cancer association.
• Brind on Harvard Nurses Study II
  This 2007 paper by a Harvard researcher concludes that there is no association between abortion and subsequent breast cance risk. This conclusion appears to be straightforward and unambiguous. However, several serious methodological concerns cast doubt on the validity of the overall result.

Induced Abortion and Placenta Previa

• Induced abortion and subsequent placenta previa