One thing that can increase your risk of miscarriage is a botched abortion or having complications from an abortion. This is similar to the risk of miscarriage after C-sections. Basically, if the uterus is punctured or scratched (or intentionally cut as in C-section) scar tissue will build. If a future fertilized egg happens to be unlucky enough to attach itself to the scar tissue part of the uterus membrane, then it will miscarry. But there is a much higher probability that it will attach to a healthy part of the uterus and be okay.

The risks of complications from a second or multiple induced abortion proceedures do not change or increase from those risks associated with the first procedure.

Rather, risks increase with the gestational age of the embryo/fetus or length of pregnancy. An induced abortion is 11 times safer than giving birth if it is performed before the 18th week of pregnancy. And most abortions, 90 percent, are performed in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Three percent of women report complications from early surgical abortions. Of these 2.5% are minor complications than can be handled at the physicican's office. The other 0.5% require additional surgical procedures or hospitalization. Risks from an early surgical abortion during the first trimester include: Blood clots (1%), infection (3%), cut or torn cervix (less than 1%), perforation or tear in the uterus (0.1%), incomplete abortion (0.1%) and heavy bleeding (less than 1%), and death (0.001%).

Despite claims by anti-choice activists that abortion increases the risk for breast cancer, such claims have no scientific basis. No study has been able to verify these claims with any statistical significance and these claims are not considered warranted by organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and World Health Organization.

Thanks to Tracy Soltesz and information provided by the American Medical Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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