LOW BIRTH WEIGHT IN PREGNANCIES FOLLOWING INDUCED ABORTION: NO EVIDENCE FOR AN ASSOCIATION1

Compared with women delivering a first pregnancy, those delivering a second pregnancy after aborting the first have similar rates of low (less than 2,500 g) birth weight newborns (relative risk (RR) G2A1/G1 = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.49-1.51) and mean birth weight (delta = 16.3 g, p = 0.63). Abortion of the first pregnancy prevents the reduction in low birth weight and increase in mean birth weight in the second pregnancy which delivery of the first pregnancy normally bestows (RR G2P1/G2A1 = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.25-0.90; delta = 135.3 g, p less than 0.0001). Two prior induced abortions do not significantly increase risk for low birth weight (RR G3A2/G1 = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.37-3.56) or decrease mean birth weight (delta = 29.0 g), compared with women delivering their first pregnancy. The second of two deliveries has a reduced risk of low birth weight irrespective of whether both deliveries follow an aborted first pregnancy. Adjustment for confounding factors did not materially change these results. Low birth weight rates were higher after abortions performed in hospital compared with elsewhere (p = 0.03), but mean birth weight was not affected. Gestation at abortion, vacuum aspiration or dilatation and curettage, and abortion complications were unrelated to birth weight of subsequent pregnancies. Pregnancies conceived within six months of a prior abortion or delivery had lower birth weight than if the antecedent pregnancy ended more than six months previously.