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Having an abortion is very safe. This includes early medication and surgical abortion.
In Australia, you have an abortion with qualified doctors, nurses and health practitioners in licensed clinics, day surgeries and hospitals.
Researchers have found that the risk of problems from an abortion (2%) is lower than for other common procedures. This includes having your wisdom teeth out (7%), having your tonsils removed (8-9%) and childbirth (29%).[1]
The risk of you having a problem is different depending on the type of abortion, the gestation of the pregnancy, and your personal and medical circumstances, but it is always low.[2]
It’s important to talk to your doctor about the risks and any concerns you may have.
No. Having an abortion is not linked to not being able to get pregnant in the future.
There is also no link with ectopic pregnancy (when a pregnancy happens outside of the uterus). [3]
If you have a surgical abortion, you will have a slightly higher risk of having a preterm birth in a future pregnancy. However, the risk of having a preterm birth is low. It is lower than if you had previously had a miscarriage.[4]
No. Trustworthy sources including the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (now called Cancer Australia)[5] have looked at the evidence.
They found that there is no link between having an abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer.
It is a myth that abortion causes mental illness or long-term negative emotional impacts.
Research shows women[6] who have had an abortion are no more likely to have a mental illness than women who have not had an abortion.
This doesn’t mean you won’t have sad or complicated feelings when you have an abortion.
For some people having an abortion is a straightforward choice. Some people will have mixed feelings about their abortion.
There may be a lot of things happening in your life at the time of your abortion.
You will be experiencing pregnancy hormones, bleeding or cramping.
Getting an abortion may also involve a lot of appointments or organisation.
There is no right or wrong way to feel. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, to feel grief, to feel relief, or to feel nothing much at all.
Free non-directive, all options pregnancy counselling services for women and gender diverse people in the ACT.
They can also provide post-abortion counselling support after an abortion. You can find more information here or call 6247 3077.
24/7 culturally safe crisis support for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, by Aboriginal and/or Torres people. You can find more information here or call 13 92 76.
24/7 crisis support. You can find more information here or call 13 11 14.
24/7 support for people who are experiencing or have experienced domestic, family or sexual violence. You can find more information here or call 1800 737 732.
Peer support and referral to LGBTIQ+ people and people supporting LGBTIQ+ people between 3pm and midnight. You can find more information here or call 1800 184 527.
Telephone: 02 6290 2166
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