Surrogacy After Abortion

We are at times asked if a prior abortion disqualifies a woman from becoming a surrogate. The short answer is absolutely not, having an abortion should not impact a woman’s ability to get pregnant at a later time. A woman can still be a surrogate candidate if she has had abortion(s) in the past and then carried a healthy baby to term.

First of all, all induced abortions are not the same. A medical abortion is typically performed before 9 weeks gestation and consists of taking medication in early pregnancy to induce a miscarriage. According to the CDC and the Alan Guttmacher Institute, 53% of the abortions in 2020 were medical abortions.

A medical abortion has not been shown to increase the risk of infertility or future pregnancy complications, as long as the procedure is done under the supervision of a skilled health care team. One particular study also found that there is no evidence that medical abortions increase a woman’s risk of future pregnancy complications including:

• Ectopic pregnancy
• Miscarriage
• Low birth weight
• Preterm delivery

A surgical abortion is usually performed after 9 weeks in the pregnancy and if the procedure occurs in the first trimester, medical professionals tend to use a suction method. Second trimester and some first trimester abortions use dilation and curettage (D&C) for the procedure. If an abortion is performed by a licensed medical provider in a safe and clean environment, then there should not be later problems with fertility and overall health, as this publication explains.

Nonetheless, there are complications that can arise if licensed medical providers do not perform the procedure or if the abortion was not done in a safe environment. Also, there is a possibility of developing scarring in the uterine walls, also known as Asherman Syndrome, especially if one has had multiple surgical abortions. Asherman Syndrome can impact fertility in the future which is why reproductive endocrinologists do tests in the surrogate’s medical screening to specifically rule out this condition.

Discussing past abortions with a surrogacy agency can often feel difficult since it is a very personal topic. Abortions are typically listed in a surrogate candidate’s medical records so it is always beneficial to be upfront about abortions and all past medical procedures with the agency from the beginning.

But in the case of past abortions, it is very rare that your medical history would disqualify a surrogate candidate. At Capital Surrogacy, we are very sensitive when it comes to a surrogate’s medical experiences and will support her at each stage of the unique process. We will also educate our surrogate candidates about all surrogate requirements in the surrogacy process.

Please visit and complete the short surrogate inquiry form, we cannot wait to partner from you!