Expert: Pat G - 8/9/2010

Question
hi, i had an abortion in 2006. then i did the depo-provera in october of the same year. i had 2 injections. i've been trying to conceive and it's not happening. i'm wondering if it is the abortion or the injection causing the problem. i had a surgical abortion.

Answer
Hello, deanna,

It's possible either one could be the problem. Or neither. Only a doctor will be able to tell you for sure. I can only point to some possibilities so you know what questions to ask.

It is known that 10% of women who have one surgical abortion will never conceive again. It is also known that some women only conceive once in their lifetime, even though they didn't do anything to harm themselves. Surgical abortions cause scar tissue to form on the surface of the uterus. If scar tissue covers the openings of both Fallopian tubes, then pregnancy is impossible. If they cover only partway, then a woman is at risk of having a tubal pregnancy. This is a life-threatening condition that requires emergency surgery. A woman can get an infection in the uterus, or a sexually transmitted disease, from the abortion itself, which can prevent conception. For example, most women with pelvic inflammatory disease, which is caused by infection in many cases, may be unable to conceive. Abortionists rarely sterilize their instruments properly, so a woman can get a disease from a previous client. This is true whether the abortion is done legally or not. Also, after abortion, if a woman has sex too soon, while the surface of the uterus is still raw, she can get an infection or disease.

Depo is very strong medicine, and can do long term damage to a woman's hormonal system. Also, a woman cannot be taking hormones when she wants to conceive. Depo can also make a woman more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases because hormones such as this alter the pH of the fluids in the vagina, making a woman more susceptible.

Here are some other possibilities. If you are a vegetarian, you might not be getting enough animal fat to make the hormones necessary to bring about a pregnancy. The most obvious sign is usually an erratic or nonexistent period. If you work out strenuously, or are very thin, this could also cause infertility. And there are certain health problems that can interfere.

If you haven't been trying for a year, it's not time to worry yet. But if you have, then it might be best to go see a doctor.

In the meantime, if you know when you are fertile, that can help. You can time sex so that it takes place when you are fertile. When a woman is fertile, she has transparent slippery mucus that stretches like a raw egg white. This can be observed when a woman wipes after going to the bathroom. For more information, go to this web site:

http://www.fertilityuk.org/

Good luck! Take care, and let me know what happens.