WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is distancing himself from a Missouri congressman who says a woman's body "has ways" to prevent pregnancy after rape.

Romney's campaign on Sunday said Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, disagree with Todd Akin's comments. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul says Romney's administration would not oppose abortion in cases of rape.

Akin, a Republican congressman who is challenging Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, was asked in an interview released Sunday if he would support abortions for women who have been raped. Akin said that, quote, "if it's legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Akin later said that he "misspoke" in the interview.