Expert: Pat G - 8/23/2009

Question
hi
i am a little concerned because i am 28 and tring to get pregnant with my lontime boyfriend(31).  when i was 21 i had an abortion and at age 24 had a non-surgical abortion(an enduced miscarriage with a doctor.  we have been tring to get pregnant for about 6 months with no success. my question is am i able to conceive again or did i damage my body to where i cant get pregnant? i am very scared and concerned. please help.  thank you, jenna

Answer
Hi, jenna,

Usually, it's time to start worrying if a woman doesn't become pregnant within a year. You might also consider the possibility that there is some hidden stress in your situation. You're not married, and you already went through two abortions. You should seriously consider getting married first. I think the need for that kind of security is innate. You need and deserve a man who will cherish you and your children, and the best sign is that he seeks to marry you and make a real commitment. Babies need for their parents to have that kind of commitment to each other.

I can't tell you specifically about your body. You will have to go to a doctor for that. I can tell you that a surgical abortion results in about 10% of women being unable to conceive after that. We don't know what the long term effects of a pill abortion are. They haven't been in use long enough. Surgical abortion sometimes infects a woman with pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility. It also sometimes causes scar tissue over the openings to the Fallopian tubes. Be on the lookout for a possible tubal pregnancy. This is when there is an opening large enough for sperm but not for the zygote. If you start to feel pain on one side about 5-6 weeks in, especially if it abruptly stops, seek immediate medical attention. Your life is at stake. Also, should you become pregnant, tell your doctor about your abortions. Surgical abortion causes damage to the cervix, which may then not be able to support the weight of a full term baby. This can result in miscarriage or very early birth. The doctor should tell you how to recognize the onset of early labor, and he can fasten your cervix shut until time for birth.

It will help if you can tell when you are fertile. You have to chart faithfully, and you can't be using any hormones. For more information, go here:

http://fertilityuk.org/

Good luck! Let me know how things go