Induced abortion between 14 and 16th: Clinical context and complications

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to characterize the women's health care pathway and to evaluate the rate of complications during a surgical abortion according to the technique of dilatation and evacuation between 14 and 16 SA. Method: Single-center prospective study at the Armand Trousseau Hospital with inclusion of women who had an abortion between 14 and 16 GA in the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department of the Armand Trousseau Hospital between March 2 and October 31, 2022. Results: Forty-six women underwent an abortion during this 8-month period. The average gestational age at which the abortions were performed was 15 weeks’ gestation with an median delay of 14.0 days between the date of discovery of the pregnancy and the date of the abortion with more than half of the women (65.2 %, N = 30) having consulted for the first time for an abortion request before 14 weeks’ gestation. Of these women, 22 (48.9%) had to consult several hospitals before being treated. One woman (2.2% 95% CI [0.0–6.4]) had a haemorrhage defined by bleeding more than 500 ml. Cervical suture for cervical tear was performed in four women (8.7% 95% CI [0.0–16.8]). There were no complications such as perforation, postoperative infection or surgical revision. No women were transfused. Conclusion: The introduction in our center of surgical abortion using the dilatation and evacuation technique performed between 14 and 16 weeks’ gestation wasn't accompanied by significant morbidity. The women's pathway before the procedure probably contributed to the later performance of the abortion.