Complications are less frequent in comparison to a [[cervical conization|cold-knife conization]] but can include [[infection]] and [[hemorrhage]].
A survey study with a small statistical power with data from the early 1990shas indicated that the LEEP procedure does not appear to affect [[fertility]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Turlington WT, Wright BD, Powell JL |title=Impact of the loop electrosurgical excision procedure on future fertility |journal=J Reprod Med |volume=41 |issue=11 |pages=815–8 |date=November 1996 |pmid=8951130 }}</ref> On the other hand, a [[case-control study]] has found an association between surgical treatment of CIN lesions and risk of [[female infertility|infertility]] or subfertility, with an odds ratio of approximately 2.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Spracklen | first1 = C. N. | last2 = Harland | first2 = K. K. | last3 = Stegmann | first3 = B. J. | last4 = Saftlas | first4 = A. F. | title = Cervical surgery for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and prolonged time to conception of a live birth: A case-control study | doi = 10.1111/1471-0528.12209 | journal = BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology | volume = 120 | issue = 8 | pages = 960–965 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23489374 | pmc =3691952 }}</ref> Scarring of the cervix is a theoretical mechanism of causing trouble conceiving. This scar tissue can be massaged or broken up in a number of ways, thus allowing the cervical opening to dilate back to normal size.
A cohort study came to the result that women with a time interval from LEEP to pregnancy of less than 12 months compared with 12 months or more were at significantly increased risk for [[miscarriage]], with risk of miscarriage of 18% compared with 4.6%, respectively.<ref name=Chescheir2013>{{Cite journal | last1 = Conner | first1 = S. N. | last2 = Cahill | first2 = A. G. | last3 = Tuuli | first3 = M. G. | last4 = Stamilio | first4 = D. M. | last5 = Odibo | first5 = A. O. | last6 = Roehl | first6 = K. A. | last7 = MacOnes | first7 = G. A. | doi = 10.1097/01.AOG.0000435454.31850.79 | title = Interval from Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure to Pregnancy and Pregnancy Outcomes | journal = Obstetrics & Gynecology | volume = 122 | issue = 6 | pages = 1154–9 | year = 2013 | pmid = 24201682| pmc = 3908542}}</ref> On the other hand, no increased risk was identified for [[preterm birth]] after LEEP.<ref name=Chescheir2013/>
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A study found that women reported a statistically significant decrease in sexual satisfaction following LEEP.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sexual function after loop electrosurgical excision procedure for cervical dysplasia|first1=Namfon|last1=Inna|first2=Yupin|last2=Phianmongkhol|first3=Kittipat|last3=Charoenkwan|date=1 March 2010|journal=J Sex Med|volume=7|issue=3|pages=1291–1297|doi=10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01633.x|pmid=19968775}}</ref>
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2014 which sought to examine the differences in preterm labor risk between patients who had a LEEP procedure and those who had CIN findings concluded that there is not a significant difference between those groups in terms of risk, as might previously have been suggested. The study determined that both groups have a higher likelihood for preterm labor than healthy controls, but suggests that a LEEP procedure in a CIN patient might not carry as significant of an increase in risk for preterm labor in future pregnancies as is generally understood. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Conner |first=Shayna N. |last2=Frey |first2=Heather A. |last3=Cahill |first3=Alison G. |last4=Macones |first4=George A. |last5=Colditz |first5=Graham A. |last6=Tuuli |first6=Methodius G. |date=2014-4 |title=Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure and Risk of Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113318/ |journal=Obstetrics and gynecology |volume=123 |issue=4 |pages=752–761 |doi=10.1097/AOG.0000000000000174 |issn=0029-7844 |pmc=4113318 |pmid=24785601}}</ref> This perspective carries significant implications when it comes to pregnancy timing and decision making in women of child bearing age who have cervical dysplasia and would like to decide whether they should have the lesions removed before or after pregnancy. As pregnancy is generally understood to be an immune suppressed state, the viral mediated character of cervical lesions might also inform revisions to treatment recommendations in such instances.
