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Mayo Clinic Questioned for Playing Down the Abortion-Infertility Link

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MAYO CLINIC UNDER FIRE FOR PLAYING DOWN ABORTION-INFERTILITY LINK -- for telling patients that abortion does not cause infertility due to endometriosis, despite research showing the contrary.

The information comes in response to a question from a patient submitted to the Q&A section of the Mayo Clinic web site. The questioner asked the Mayo Clinic whether any documented evidence existed between abortion and endometriosis.

Responding for the clinic, an unnamed staff member said "there is no evidence of a link." "Endometriosis is primarily a disease of women who have never been pregnant," the Mayo Clinic writes.

However, according to Deveber Institute in Canada, "No previous births and an earlier abortion put a woman at significant risk of post-abortion complications leading to possible infertility."

A 1986 report, "Post-Abortal Endometritis and Isolation of Chlamydia Trachomatis," published in the medical journal Obstetrics and Gynecology says that not only is it possible to contract endometriosis from an abortion, but that the risk is higher for teenagers. The report says teenagers are 2.5 times more likely than women 20-29 to acquire endometriosis following abortion.

Abortion businesses also acknowledge the risk that abortions can have in causing problems for women. In a factsheet "Abortion: Questions and Answers" prepared by the Planned Parenthood of Edmonton, Canada for prospective patients, the abortion business acknowledges the endometriosis risk.

"Infections can occur from an abortion," PPE writes. "At worst the infection can become a case of endometriosis (the pelvic area becomes inflamed) and the uterus has to be removed surgically." [LifeNews.com, 9Sep05, Rochester, MN ]