Coagulopathy and induced abortion methods: Rates and relative risks

Background: Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is one of the most common gynaecological procedures in clinical practice. It provides a cheap, safe and effective means of reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Aim: The aim of the study is to review the effectiveness of manual vacuum aspiration in management of first trimester miscarriages in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. Materials and Method: This study was a two-year retrospective analysis (between 01/01/2017 to 31/12/2018) on the use of manual vacuum aspiration in management of first trimester miscarriages in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano. There were 154 cases of first trimester miscarriage during the study period but 104 case files were retrieved with complete information for analysis. Relevant data extracted were analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: One hundred and four (104) cases were analysed within the study period. Seventy-eight (75%) of the patients were aged 20-34 years; 97 (93.3%) were married and 52 (50.0%) were multigravidas. MVA was performed mainly for incomplete abortion (N=74; 71.2%). Fifty-four (51.9%) of the procedures were done by registrars and 44 (41.3%) by house-officers. Ninety-one (87.5%) of the cases had no complication; post-abortal bleeding was documented in 9 (8.7%) cases. Only 68 patients presented with histology report during their follow up visit in gynaecology clinic. 97% out of this reported product of conception, while 3% reported molar gestation. Conclusion: The most common indication for MVA in this study was incomplete abortion and most of the cases were not associated with any complication. MVA is very effective in management of first trimester miscarriage in our center. Histology report is however important as this will help to differentiate between gestational trophoblastic disease and incomplete miscarriage.

Today several very early abortion methods are available; effective and safe, medical as well as surgical. The aim of the present study is to estimate women's attitudes towards three early abortion methods, to see if one or several of these methods are preferable--or best avoided--for psychological reasons, and to assess if women of a certain social or psychological background would benefit from a specific abortion method. Three groups of women were interviewed two weeks after a first trimester abortion; 1/43 women having an 'ordinary abortion' with preoperative ripening of the cervix followed by a vacuum aspiration under heavy sedation, 2/40 women having a modified Karman exeresis with a paracervical block, 3/45 women having a medical abortion with RU 486 and prostaglandin. There was a noticeable difference in the effect the three abortion methods had on the women taking part in the study. Women with a medical abortion reported more bleeding and somewhat more pain and moral considerations than the other women, but also a relief to be spared a surgical procedure. Most of the women said they preferred the abortion method they had just experienced. A short waiting time appeared to be more important than whether a surgical or a medical method was used. Which abortion method is the best in each case is dependent on a variety of personal reasons, and can only be decided by each woman, in consultation with her doctor.

Background: Molar pregnancies represent a significant burden of disease on the spectrum of gestational trophoblastic diseases. Molar pregnancy is one of the causes of maternal morbidity and mortality among women in the reproductive age group. However the magnitude, clinical features and risk factors are not well documented in our country .This study was conducted to describe these aspects of the disease entity in one tertiary level hospital. Objective: to determine the frequency and evaluate the current clinical characteristics of patients with molar pregnancy in Bangladesh. Study design: this was a cross sectional observational study. Study place and period: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in BSMMU, Dhaka. Study period from January 2015 to June 2015. Study population: Patients with molar pregnancy admitted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in BSMMU during the study period. Outcome variables: Varieties of clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment modalities. Results: The incidence of molar pregnancy was 7.3 per thousand pregnancies in BSMMU hospital during the study period. The age of the patient ranged from 18-47 years, with maximum 65% between 21-40 years age group. Only 5% patients were above the age of 40. Majority 65% of patients were multigravida while 35% were primigravida. Maximum 85% of all were from low socio-economic group. In 40% patient's blood group was B+ve and A+ve in 25% patients. Abnormal vaginal bleeding was the commonest presenting symptoms in 60% patients. Other than that 15% patients came with vaginal bleeding and passage of vesicles, 12.5% with lower abdominal pain, 7.5% patients had no symptom except amenorrhea diagnosed incidentally and other 5% had amenorrhea with exaggerated sign symptom of pregnancy. More than two third (80%) of the patients had uterus more than the period of gestation. USG, serum ß-hCG and CBC was done in all the cases. Chest X- ray was done in 60% cases. Serum ß- hCG level was found above the level of 50000 in 80% cases. Different modalities of treatment such as suction evacuation, D&C and hysterectomy were used for the patients with molar pregnancy. Suction evacuation was the first line treatment in 87.5% patients of molar pregnancy & follow up should be done at least for 6 months. Conclusion: Molar pregnancy is the disease of women in their reproductive years. It was commonly found in young multipara women of below average income group. Most common clinical manifestation was vaginal bleeding. Diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonography and serum ß-hCG. Patients with molar pregnancy have the risks of developing persistent gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) and should be followed up. It is now indispensible to set up a nationwide accepted protocol for the early detection and management of patient with molar pregnancy as well as to initiate a structured follow up programme to observe the prognosis of the disease.

Induced abortions are very commonly practiced interventions worldwide. A variety of medical abortion methods have been introduced during the last decade in addition to existing surgical methods. In this review we systematically searched for and combined all evidence from randomised controlled trials comparing surgical with medical abortion. To evaluate medical methods in comparison to surgical methods for first-trimester abortion with respect to efficacy, side effects and acceptability. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE (with the Cochrane 3-stage search strategy)(1966-2000) and Popline (1970-2000) were systematically searched. There were no language preferences in searching. Reference lists of retrieved papers were searched. Experts in WHO/HRP were contacted. Randomised trials of any surgical abortion method compared with any medical abortion method in the first trimester. Trial quality was assessed and data extraction was made independently by two reviewers. Five studies mostly with small sample sizes, comparing 4 different interventions (prostaglandins alone, mifepristone alone, and mifepristone/misoprostol and methotrexate/misoprostol versus vacuum aspiration) were included. Results are sometimes based on one trial only. Prostaglandins vs vacuum aspiration: the rate of abortions not completed with the intended method was statistically significant higher in the prostaglandin group (2.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.8) compared to surgery. There are no data on the most commonly medical (mifepristone/misoprostol) and surgical abortion available to be included in the review. Duration of bleeding was longer in the medical abortion groups compared to vacuum aspiration. There was only one major complication (uterine perforation) in one trial in the surgical group. There was no difference between the groups for ongoing pregnancies at the time of follow-up or pelvic infections. No data on acceptability, side effects or women's satisfaction with the procedure were available for inclusion in the review. The results are derived from small trials. Prostaglandins used alone seems to be less effective and more painful compared to surgical first-trimester abortion. However, there is inadequate evidence to comment on the acceptability and side effects of medical compared to surgical first-trimester abortions. There is a need for trials to address the efficacy of currently used methods and women's preferences more reliably.

Compared with women delivering a first pregnancy, those delivering a second pregnancy after aborting the first have similar rates of low (less than 2,500 g) birth weight newborns (relative risk (RR) G2A1/G1 = 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.49-1.51) and mean birth weight (delta = 16.3 g, p = 0.63). Abortion of the first pregnancy prevents the reduction in low birth weight and increase in mean birth weight in the second pregnancy which delivery of the first pregnancy normally bestows (RR G2P1/G2A1 = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.25-0.90; delta = 135.3 g, p less than 0.0001). Two prior induced abortions do not significantly increase risk for low birth weight (RR G3A2/G1 = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.37-3.56) or decrease mean birth weight (delta = 29.0 g), compared with women delivering their first pregnancy. The second of two deliveries has a reduced risk of low birth weight irrespective of whether both deliveries follow an aborted first pregnancy. Adjustment for confounding factors did not materially change these results. Low birth weight rates were higher after abortions performed in hospital compared with elsewhere (p = 0.03), but mean birth weight was not affected. Gestation at abortion, vacuum aspiration or dilatation and curettage, and abortion complications were unrelated to birth weight of subsequent pregnancies. Pregnancies conceived within six months of a prior abortion or delivery had lower birth weight than if the antecedent pregnancy ended more than six months previously.

Background:Unsafe abortion is a major contributor to maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the legalization of abortion and expanded access to services in Nepal, data on abortion practices and patient satisfaction remain limited.Objective:This study aimed to assess abortion methods, their management, and patient satisfaction among women seeking safe abortion services at a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.Design:A hospital-based cross-sectional study.Methods:The study was conducted from December 2023 to May 2024 among 285 women aged ⩾18 years with gestational age of up to 12 weeks. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and clinical records, followed by 7-day post-abortion assessment via in-person visits or phone calls. Pearson’s chi-square test and binary logistic regression were performed at a 5% level of significance to identify factor associated with patient satisfaction.Result:Among 285 women, 76.8% underwent medical abortion with oral mifepristone followed by misoprostol via sublingual, buccal, or vaginal routes, while 23.2% received surgical abortion through vacuum aspiration after misoprostol pre-treatment and local anesthesia. Discharge medications commonly included analgesics (paracetamol and ibuprofen) and antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, and metronidazole). Post-abortion contraceptive uptake was 79.3%, with implants (28.8%) and condoms (28.4%) being the most chosen methods. Overall, 50.2% of women reported satisfaction with the abortion services received. Logistic regression analysis showed that higher education (AOR: 5.63; 95% CI: 2.40-13.16), extended family structure (AOR: 7.25; 95% CI: 3.11-16.91), and no history of live birth (AOR: 4.20; 95% CI: 1.48-11.93) were significantly associated with higher satisfaction, while age ⩾35 years was negatively associated (AOR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.28-0.95).Conclusion:Medical abortion was the preferred method, and overall management was aligned with WHO guidelines. However, patient satisfaction was moderate. Improving infrastructure, ensuring privacy, reducing waiting times, enhancing post-abortion counseling, and providing tailored health education with regular service evaluations are needed to improve the quality of abortion care and patient satisfaction.

Management of cesarean scar ectopic pregnancies at an academic referral center: A case series

Early Abortion in Ontario: Options and Costs

Surgical abortion up to 63 days by vacuum aspiration or dilatation and curettage has been the method of choice since the 1960s. Medical abortion became an alternative method of first trimester pregnancy termination with the availability of prostaglandins in the early 1970s and anti-progesterones in the 1980s. The most widely researched drugs are prostaglandins (PGs) alone, mifepristone alone, methotrexate alone, mifepristone with prostaglandins and methotrexate with prostaglandins. To compare different medical methods for first trimester abortion. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE and Popline were systematically searched. Reference lists of retrieved papers were also searched. Experts in WHO/HRP were contacted. Types of studies. Randomised controlled trials comparing different medical methods (e.g. single drug, combination), ways of application, or different dose regimens, single or combined, for medical abortion, were considered. Trials were assessed and included if they had adequate concealment of allocation, randomisation procedure and follow-up. Women, pregnant in the first trimester, undergoing medical abortion were the participants. Different medical methods used for first trimester abortion, compared with each other or placebo were included. The outcomes sought include mortality, failure to achieve complete abortion, surgical evacuation (as emergency procedure, non-emergency procedure, or undefined), ongoing pregnancy at follow-up, time until passing of conceptus (> 3-6 hours), blood transfusion, blood loss (measured or clinically relevant drop in haemoglobin), days of bleeding, pain resulting from the procedure (reported by the women or measured by use of analgesics), additional uterotonics used, women's dissatisfaction with the procedure, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea. Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion from the results of the search strategy described previously. The selection of trials for inclusion in the review was performed independently by two reviewers after employing the search strategy described previously. Trials under consideration were evaluated for appropriateness for inclusion and methodological quality without consideration of their results. A form was designed to facilitate the data extraction. Data were processed using Revman software. Thirty-nine trials were included in the review. The effectiveness outcomes below refer to 'failure to achieve complete abortion' with the intended method unless otherwise stated. 1) Combined regimen mifepristone/prostaglandin: Mifepristone 600 mg compared to 200 mg shows similar effectiveness in achieving complete abortion (4 trials, RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.32). Misoprostol administered orally is less effective (more failures) than the vaginal route (RR 3.00, 95% CI 1.44 to 6.24) and may be associated with more frequent side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea. 2) Mifepristone alone is less effective compared to the combined regimen mifepristone/prostaglandin (RR 3.76 95% CI 2.30 to 6.15). 3) Similarly, the 5 trials included in the comparison of prostaglandin compared to the combined regimen reported in all but one higher effectiveness with the combined regime compared to prostaglandin. The results of these studies were not pooled but the RR of failure with prostaglandin alone is between 1.4 to 3.75 and the 95% confidence intervals indicate statistical significance. 4) In one trial comparing gemeprost 0.5 mg with misoprostol 800 mcg, misoprostol was more effective (failure with gemeprost: RR 2.86, 95% CI 1.14 to 7.18). 5) There was no difference when using split dose compared to single dose of prostaglandin. 6) Combined regimen methotrexate/prostaglandin: there was no statistically significant difference in failure to achieve complete abortion comparing methotrexate administered intramuscular to oral (RR 2.04, 95% CI 0.51 to 8.07). Similarly, early (day 3) vs late (day 5) administration of prostaglandin showed no significant of prostaglandin showed no significant difference (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.43). One trial compared the effect of tamoxifen vs methotrexate and no statistically significant differences were observed in effectiveness between the groups. Safe and effective medical abortion methods are available. Combined regimens are more effective than single agents. In the combined regimen, the dose of mifepristone can be lowered to 200 mg without significantly decreasing the method effectiveness. Misoprostol vaginally is more effective than orally. Some of the results are based on small studies only and therefore carry some uncertainty. Almost all trials were conducted in hospital settings with good access to support and emergency services. It is therefore not clear if the results are readily applicable to under-resourced settings where such services are lacking even if the agents used are available.

Background: Antimicrobials are among the most commonly prescribed medications in US hospitals; an estimated 50% of hospitalized patients receive an antimicrobial. Research has shown that antimicrobial prescriptions to vary by patient- and hospital-level factors; however, disparities by patient neighborhood characteristics have not been examined. We evaluated associations between hospital and neighborhood indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) and antimicrobial use (AU) for gram-positive bacterial infections (GPBs), and broad-spectrum use for community-acquired infections (BSCAs) and hospital-onset infections (BSHOs). Methods: This analysis was conducted among 86 acute-care hospitals in California that submitted AU data via the NHSN in 2019. Hospital-level AU was measured as standardized antimicrobial administration ratios (SAARs) calculated by dividing observed antimicrobial use by risk-adjusted predicted antimicrobial use for GPB, BSCA, and BSHO antimicrobial groupings and categorized as binary (>1 or <1); SAARs >1 indicate potential inappropriate prescribing. California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development 2018 data were used to obtain hospital characteristics and patient age, race or ethnicity, insurance, and comorbidities (defined by Charlson comorbidity index) for hospitalizations where AU may have been indicated, based on International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes. The California Healthy Places Index (HPI) was used to obtain composite neighborhood SES indicators for each patient at the ZIP code level, measured as tertiles. Covariates were aggregated to the hospital level. Poisson regressions were used to evaluate the association between hospital and neighborhood SES indicators and SAAR scores, controlling for potential hospital-level confounders. Results: Among 86 hospitals included in the analysis, the mean patient age for hospitalizations where AU may have been indicated was 66 years, the proportion of white patients was 55%, and the mean proportion of Medi-Cal users was 19%. After adjusting for confounders including age, race or ethnicity, insurance status, comorbidities, and number of hospital beds; higher median values of patient SES had a protective effect against hospitals having GP SAAR scores > 1 (relative risk [RR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.50–0.93) but was not significantly associated with hospitals having BSCA SAAR scores >1 (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.62–1.02) or BSHO SAAR scores >1 (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.61–1.04). Conclusions: Considering SES in addition to summary antimicrobial use scores such as SAARs may help identify populations potentially at risk for inappropriate AU; however, patient-level information is still necessary to evaluate appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

In the US, 10.2% of legal abortions are performed at 13-20 weeks and an additional 1% occur at 21 weeks gestation or beyond. These second-trimester abortions account for about 140,000 procedures per year. Dilatation and evacuation; instillation of saline, urea, or medication into the amniotic cavity; and intravenous prostaglandin administration are the approaches available for these procedures. At present, intravaginal prostaglandin E is the most commonly used mid-trimester abortion method; new research suggests that intravaginal misoprostol may confer advantages. Since teenagers are the population group most likely to delay abortion until the second trimester, priority should be given to making abortion services more accessible and removing requirements such as parental consent. Most beneficial would be a preventive approach that decreases the number of unintended pregnancies among adolescents through school-based sex education programs and access to free, effective contraceptive methods. Problematic is the reluctance on the part of many obstetricians and gynecologists to perform abortions due to a lack of technical training or moral objections. These practitioners should be mandated to fulfill their obligation to meet the needs of their patients, regardless of their personal views on the abortion issues.

Randomized comparison of efficacy and acceptability of medical versus surgical abortion

Role of Antimuscarinics Combined With Alpha-blockers in the Management of Urinary Storage Symptoms in Patients With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The prevalence of children diagnosed with thrombotic events has been increasing in the last decades. The most common thrombosis risk factor in neonates, infants and children is the placement of a central venous catheter (CVC). It is unknown if anticoagulation prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) decreases CVC-related thrombosis in children. This is an update of the Cochrane Review published in 2014. To determine the effect of LMWH prophylaxis on the incidence of CVC-related thrombosis and major and minor bleeding complications in children. Further objectives were to determine the effect of LMWH on occlusion of CVCs, number of days of CVC patency, episodes of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI), other side effects of LMWH (allergic reactions, abnormal coagulation profile, heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia and osteoporosis) and mortality during therapy. The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 7 May 2019. We undertook reference checking of identified trials to identify additional studies. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomised trials comparing LMWH to no prophylaxis (placebo or no treatment), or low-dose unfractionated heparin (UFH) either as continuous infusion or flushes (low-dose UFH aims to ensure the patency of the central line but has no systemic anticoagulation activity), given to prevent CVC-related thrombotic events in children. We selected studies conducted in children aged 0 to 18 years. Two review authors independently identified eligible studies, which were assessed for study methodology including bias, and extracted unadjusted data where available. In the data analysis step, all outcomes were analysed as binary or dichotomous outcomes. The effects of interventions were summarised with risk ratios (RR) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed the certainty of evidence for each outcome using the GRADE approach. One additional study was included for this update bringing the total to two included studies (with 1135 participants). Both studies were open-label RCTs comparing LMWH with low-dose UFH to prevent CVC-related thrombosis in children. We identified no studies comparing LMWH with placebo or no treatment. Meta-analysis found insufficient evidence of an effect of LMWH prophylaxis in reducing the incidence of CVC-related thrombosis in children with CVC, compared to low-dose UFH (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.75; 2 studies; 787 participants; low-certainty evidence). One study (158 participants) reported symptomatic and asymptomatic CVC-related thrombosis separately and detected no evidence of a difference between LMWH and low-dose UFH (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.21 to 4.93; low-certainty evidence; RR 1.17, 95% CI 0.45 to 3.08; low-certainty evidence; for symptomatic and asymptomatic participants respectively). There was insufficient evidence to determine whether LMWH impacts the risk of major bleeding (RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.05 to 1.67; 2 studies; 813 participants; low-certainty evidence); or minor bleeding. One study reported minor bleeding in 53.3% of participants in the LMWH arm and in 44.7% of participants in the low-dose UFH arm (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.58; 1 study; 158 participants; very low-certainty evidence), and the other study reported no minor bleeding in either group (RR: not estimable). Mortality during the study period was reported in one study, where two deaths occurred during the study period. Both were unrelated to thrombotic events and occurred in the low-dose UFH arm. The second study did not report mortality during therapy per arm but showed similar 5-year overall survival (low-certainty evidence). No additional adverse effects were reported. Other pre-specified outcomes (including CVC occlusion, patency and CRBSI) were not reported. Pooling data from two RCTs did not provide evidence to support the use of prophylactic LWMH for preventing CVC-related thrombosis in children (low-certainty evidence). Evidence was also insufficient to confirm or exclude a difference in the incidence of major and minor bleeding complications in the LMWH prophylaxis group compared to low-dose UFH (low and very low certainty respectively). No evidence of a clear difference in overall mortality was seen. Studies did not report on the outcomes catheter occlusion, days of catheter patency, episodes of CRBSI and other side effects of LMWH (allergic reactions, abnormal coagulation profile, heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia and osteoporosis). The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to risk of bias of the included studies, imprecision and inconsistency, preventing conclusions in regards to the efficacy of LMWH prophylaxis to prevent CVC-related thrombosis in children.

Characterisation and management of dermatologic adverse events to agents targeting the PD-1 receptor