How Soon Can I get Pregnant After an Abortion?

Zöe Colòn

11/6/2024

If you have had or are thinking about having an abortion, you might be wondering how soon after the procedure you can get pregnant. And if you are interested in having children in the future, you may be concerned about your fertility after an abortion.

The short answer is that it is possible for you to get pregnant immediately after an abortion, so you should begin using some form of birth control as soon as you resume having sex. But the forms of birth control that will be effective post-abortion can vary.

This article will help you understand all the facts on post-abortion fertility so that you can be empowered to make the best decision for yourself and get safely pregnant if/when you want to.

When can I start using birth control after an abortion?

After any type of pregnancy loss or ending a pregnancy, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists estimates that women can ovulate and become pregnant as soon as 2 weeks later. If your menstrual cycle is irregular or tends to be on the short side, you may ovulate even sooner.

Many doctors advise waiting to have sex until bleeding from an abortion ends, which typically takes 1-2 weeks. It’s also a good idea to wait because the cervix and uterus stay partially dilated following a miscarriage or abortion, leaving you prone to infection until they completely heal. When you are ready to have sex again, your body is also ready to become pregnant again, so make sure you use contraception as soon as you resume having sex after an abortion.

Most contraception options—the birth control pill, IUD’s, condoms—are safe and reliable to use after abortion. Talk to a medical professional to establish a birth control plan. Since your cycle is restarted by the abortion, it may be difficult to predict your ovulation date. If you use a menstrual cycle-tracking method for birth control, you’ll need to rely on another method until you get your first period after your procedure and can begin tracking your cycle again.

What happens to my fertility after an abortion?

Medical abortion

For most women, fertility is not impacted by an abortion. A medical abortion is an abortion induced in the first 1-9 weeks of pregnancy via a series of prescribed medications. This procedure is not associated with a greater risk of premature birth in a subsequent pregnancy compared to a first pregnancy. Medical abortion is also not associated with other conditions that could affect subsequent pregnancies, such as low birth weight, pregnancy loss, or ectopic pregnancy.

Surgical abortion

Surgical abortions, which take place 5 weeks and further into pregnancy, are associated with a higher risk of future pregnancy complications, with risk increasing depending on how far along the pregnancy was when terminated. However, having a second abortion or more does not increase risk of premature birth compared to just one abortion.

Surgical abortions cause an increased risk to fertility due to Asherman’s syndrome. Asherman’s syndrome (also known as intrauterine adhesions, or IUA) results in scarring of the uterine wall. 90% of the time, Asherman’s syndrome is caused by a procedure called dilation and curettage (D&C), which involves using suction and surgical tools to remove tissue from the uterus. This type of uterine surgery is used for many women who have surgical abortions and pregnancy complications, including miscarriages. 

The Cleveland Clinic estimates that up to 20% of women who undergo a D&C experience Asherman’s syndrome. The International Asherman’s Association estimates that up to 40% of women who undergo a D&C due to an incomplete surgical abortion could experience Asherman’s syndrome.

This condition can lead to unusual, absent, or painful menstrual cycles, future miscarriages, and infertility. The good news is that Asherman’s syndrome is often curable with surgery and medication to remove the scarred tissue and regrow the lost uterine lining. If you are getting a surgical abortion, ask your doctor if they plan to use a D&C procedure and to help you mitigate risk to your future reproductive health.

I got a positive pregnancy test after my abortion. Am I pregnant again?

After an abortion, it takes your body a couple weeks to return to baseline levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the pregnancy hormone. If you test positive with an at-home pregnancy test within two weeks of your abortion, it is likely a false-positive. If you take a test 3 weeks or later after your abortion and you have had sex, it may be a new pregnancy. See a doctor for a blood test to confirm your results.

If you are indeed pregnant again, it can be really difficult to handle right after you’ve dealt with an unexpected pregnancy. Remember that you still have all the same options that all pregnant women have. Check out She Might’s resources on being pregnant...again, and how to process an unexpected pregnancy.

Take care of yourself!

After an abortion, practice self-care so that you heal properly before you have sex again. Since you can get pregnant within your first menstrual cycle after an abortion, start using contraception right away. While medical abortions don't generally impact fertility and surgical abortions may, available treatments can ensure you can have a healthy pregnancy in the future.