This study, published in January in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health shows a substantive link between abortion and subsequent preterm births and low birth weights.

The Medical Post reported about this study on February 5. (It’s a registration required site so I’ll just quote from the article here.)

With increasing number of abortions, there was an increasing risk for both premature birth and low birth weight, Dr. Adera told the Medical Post. That is one major indication of a causal connection. […]

We believe this study confirms that both induced and spontaneous abortions are risk factors both for low birth weight and for premature births. And therefore we believe that women need to be informed about these potential risks by their doctors.

This has been known for a while. Researchers have cited the example of Poland, where abortion is illegal.  

Poland dramatically reduced its rates of premature birth, maternal mortality and infant mortality within a few years after its abortion rate declined by 98% between 1989 and 1993 (as a result of the passage of an abortion ban). “If induced abortion significantly elevates pre-term birth risk, one would expect Poland’s pre-term birth rate to slump 5–10 years after the induced-abortion rate plunge,” [researchers] wrote. They say data from UNICEF found that, between 1995 and 1997 (after abortion declined by 98% from 1989 – 1993), Poland’s pre-term birth rate dropped by 41.8% and maternal mortality decreased 41.4%, and infant mortality was down by 25.0%.

This is important because in Canada, 17 per cent of abortions are done on girls age 10-19, 54 per cent on women age 20-29. In short, it’s likely these women are aborting their first child, with the hope of having another one later. Preterm birth is a risk factor for all kinds of complications, as is low birth weight. When babies experience complications, it is personally distressing to young mothers. It’s also a stress on our health care system. (This, in my estimation, falls a very distant second as a reason to make the information public. But dollars and cents matter, especially as our health care system declines.)

No, the information should be public so women can know and learn. And women are not hearing this information. I don’t bring it up as a scare tactic. Take a look at the study and decide for yourself.