Expert: Doctor Joan - 10/25/2011

Question
Hi I had an abortion 2 years ago and I am now 15 weeks pregnant.. I am so excited but I am so worried because I had one abortion that godforbid something would go wronh.. I have read that you can have preterm labor,imcompetent cervix,still birth because of abortion..i never really wanted to have the abortion but I had no support from by boyfriend and it just was a messed up situation . I never got over the abortion and even now as im pregnant im so scared to be happu.. Please help

Answer
One abortion does not cause an incompetent cervix.  Please be happy.  Worrying will not help and can cause you to be depressed and not have a healthy pregnancy.  Still birth and preterm labor have multiple causes.  

This site may help
1.  Preterm labor
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/pretermlabor_risk.html
Lifestyle and environmental risks
Some studies have found that certain lifestyle factors may put a woman at greater risk of preterm labor. These factors include:
•Late or no prenatal care
•Smoking
•Drinking alcohol
•Using illegal drugs
•Exposure to the medication DES
•Domestic violence, including physical, sexual or emotional abuse
•Lack of social support
•Stress
•Long working hours with long periods of standing
•Exposure to certain environmental pollutants
Medical risks
Certain medical conditions during pregnancy may increase the likelihood that a woman will have preterm labor. These conditions include:

•Urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, sexually transmitted infections and possibly other infections
•Diabetes
•High blood pressure and preeclampsia
•Clotting disorders (thrombophilia)
•Bleeding from the vagina
•Certain birth defects in the baby
•Being pregnant with a single fetus that is the result of in vitro fertilization (IVF)
•Being underweight before pregnancy
•Obesity
•Short time period between pregnancies (less than 6-9 months between birth and the beginning of the next pregnancy)
2.  Cervical Incompetence
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/pretermlabor_cervical.html
3.  Stillbirth
http://www.marchofdimes.com/baby/loss_stillbirth.html

Not one of these references link abortion as a cause.  Please do not worry.