Is the High Rate of Preterm Birth in the United States Linked to Previous Induced Abortions?
Emile Papiernik, MD Emeritus Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Réné Descartes, Maternité de Port-Royal, Paris, France Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio CI, confidence interval There is empirical evidence to support the claim that repeated induced abortions are a risk factor for premature delivery in subsequent pregnancies, as demonstrated by a case-control study aimed at describing the risk factors for premature births undertaken in 16 European countries.1In this study, which included 2938 women who delivered before 37 weeks’ gestation and 4781 who delivered at term, there was no increased risk associated with 1 previous induced abortion (odds ratio [OR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99 1.33 [in all countries]; and OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.86 1.36 [in Western European countries]), but the risk increased significantly when women had 2 previous abortions (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.3 2.0 [for all countries]; and OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.2 2.7 [for Western European countr
There is empirical evidence to support the claim that repeated induced abortions are a risk factor for premature delivery in subsequent pregnancies, as demonstrated by a case-control study aimed at describing the risk factors for premature births undertaken in 16 European countries.1In this study, which included 2938 women who delivered before 37 weeks’ gestation and 4781 who delivered at term, there was no increased risk associated with 1 previous induced abortion (odds ratio [OR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–1.33 [in all countries]; and OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.86–1.36 [in Western European countries]), but the risk increased significantly when women had ≥2 previous abortions (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.3–2.0 [for all countries]; and OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.2–2.7 [for Western European countries]). There is empirical evidence to support the claim that repeated induced abortions are a risk factor for premature delivery in subsequent pregnancies, as demonstrated by the EUROPOP study, a case
