Senator Abetz says he was cut off from the Network Ten program, The Project, last night before he could explain that an American doctor's views on this topic were not the accepted medical view.
He says he "studiously avoided" drawing any link between abortion and breast cancer during his interview.
"In my interview last night on The Project I studiously avoided doing so, and was cut off before being able to acknowledge that Dr Angela Lanfranchi's views on this topic were not the accepted medical view," he said in a statement.
"As I pointed out, I am associating myself with the Families Conference - the broad aims of which I support. This does not mean that I endorse the views of every single speaker."
"Notwithstanding this, Dr Lanfranchi is a breast cancer surgeon and a clinical assistant professor of surgery. She is the surgical co-director of the Sanofi-Aventis Breast Care Centre and the Steeplechase Cancer Centre in New Jersey."
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) slammed the senator's comments.
Fairfax Media reported Senator Abetz, the leader of the government in the upper house and Employment Minister, appeared on Channel 10 program The Project and was asked if he believed the "factually incorrect" statement that abortion leads to breast cancer.
"I think the studies, and I think they date back from the 1950s, assert that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer," he said on Thursday night.
The senator then said there were organisations, other than the Australian Medical Association (AMA), that had differing views.
AMA President Associate Professor Brian Owler said the senator had "cherry-picked" old information skewed toward an anti-abortion ideology.
He said the comments were not based on current or conventional medical evidence.
"I just don't understand why a senior member of government would want to try to take on this issue and put himself out in the media using articles I'm told are from the 1950s as the basis of his discussion," Professor Owler told AAP.
"This is a serious issue and it should be discussed on the basis of current medical evidence.
"There is no evidence to say breast cancer and abortion are linked."
The professor said he respected freedom of speech but Senator Abetz's comments came with significant responsibility because of his senior government role.
"Let's not use false evidence or try and link abortion with other things such as breast cancer, I don't think it's fair and it's certainly not fair to people who may have experienced breast cancer," he said.
The AMA is also concerned about the involvement of senior members of government, including Senator Abetz, with the World Congress of Families event to be held in Melbourne later this month, Professor Owler said.
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