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Change in βhCG is
<15% rise in βhCG over 48 hours
Gestational sac growth <2mm over 5 days
Gestational sac growth <3mm over 7 days
Diagnosis of threatened abortion
Complete
Incomplete: cervix open, some tissue has passed
Inevitable: intrauterine pregnancy with cervical dilation &
vaginal bleeding
Chemical pregnancy: +βhcg but no sac formed
Blighted ovum/anembryonic pregnancy: empty gestational sac,
embryo never formed
Missed: embryo never formed or demised, but uterus hasn’t
expelled the sac
Septic: missed/incomplete abortion becomes infected
SAB/EPF
Epidemiology and etiology
Epidemiology
15-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies
Offer reassurance: probability of 2 consecutive
miscarriages is 2.25%
85% of women will conceive and have normal third
pregnancy if with same partner
80% in the first 12 weeks
Etiologies
Chromosomal
Non-chromosomal
SAB/EPF: Chromosomal Etiologies
Infectious factors
Brucella, chlamydia, mycoplasma, listeria, toxoplasma,
malaria, tuberculosis
Endocrine factors
DM, hypothyroidism, “luteal phase defect” from
progesterone deficiency
50% Non-Chromosomal Etiologies
Abnormal placentation
Environmental factors
Smoking >20 cigarettes per day (increased 4X)
Alcohol >7 drinks/week (increased 4X)
Increasing age
Outcomes and management of threatened
abortion
Outcomes
25-50% will progress to spontaneous abortion
However – if the pregnancy is far enough along that an
ultrasound can confirm a live pregnancy then 94% will go on to
deliver a live baby
Management
Reassurance
Pelvic rest has not been shown to improve outcome
Management of spontaneous abortion
Creinin MD, et al. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2001.; Goldberg AB, et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2004.; Hemlin J, et al. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand.
2001.
Pain Management
Tissue examination
Basin for POC
Fine-mesh kitchen strainer
Glass pyrex pie dish
Back light or enhanced light
Tools to grasp tissue and POC
Specimen containers
Source: A Clinicians Guide to Medical and Surgical Abortion; Paul M, Grimes D, National Abortion Federation, available online Hyman
AG, Castleman L. Ipas. 2005
Comparison of surgical management
EVA MVA
Vacuum Electric pump Manual aspirator
Noise Variable Quiet
Portable Not easily Yes
Anesthesia Conscious sedation and paracervical block
Capacity 350–1,200 cc 60 cc
Ultrasound
Retained products 3 Gritty texture
Examine POC
Prophylactic antibiotics
Infection 2.5 PO doxy or IV cephalosporin
Misoprostol Expectant
600 μg management
vaginally (placebo)
Language: Indications
Termination Personal choice
Abortion Medical indication
Elective abortion (hemorrhage, infection)
Therapeutic abortion Medical recommendation
Interruption of pregnancy (SLE, Pulmonary HTN, PPROM)
Fetus diagnosed with
anomalies
Definition
Methods
The removal of a fetus or
embryo from the uterus before Dependent upon gestational
the stage of viability age and provider abilities
Induced Abortion History
Gestational age:
90% within first 12 weeks
50% within first 8 weeks
Complications
Dependent upon gestational age
7-10 weeks have lowest complication rates
mortality: 1/100,000
Complications are 3-4x higher for second-trimester than first
trimester
Putting Induced Abortion
into Perspective…
Incident Chance of
death
Terminating pregnancy < 9 weeks 1 in 500,000
Terminating pregnancy > 20 weeks 1 in 8,000
Giving birth 1 in 7,600
Driving an automobile 1 in 5,900
Using a tampon 1 in 350,000
Gold RB, Richards C. Issues Sci Technol. 1990.; Hatcher RA. Contracept Technol Update. 1998.; Mokdad AH, et al. MMWR Recomm
Rep. 2003.
Earlier Procedures are Safer
Abortions at < 8 weeks = lowest risk of death
1 Weeks Gestation
Gestational Age 6
4
≤8
10 9 to 10
for abortion-related 18
≤8 weeks
13 to 15
mortality 16 to 20
≥21
< 63 88
WHO Task Force. BJOG. 2000.; Peyron R, et al. N Engl J Med. 1993.
Spitz IM, et al. N Engl J Med. 1998; Winikoff B, et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1997.
2nd Trimester Induced Abortion
Epidemiology
Epidemiology
14 weeks gestation and above
96% done by Dilation and Evacuation (D&E)
4% done by labor induction
2nd Trimester Induced Abortion
Etiology
Etiology
Social indications
Delay in diagnosis
Delay in finding a provider
Delay in obtaining funding
Teenagers most likely to delay
Fetal anomalies
Genetic such as Trisomy 13, 18, 21
Anatomic such as cardiac defects
Neural tube such as anencephaly
2nd Trimester Induced Abortion
Counseling
Nyoboe et al 1990
2nd trimester induced abortion
Management
Adequate anesthesia
13-15 wks: 12 Paracervical block which includes vasopressin 4 units.
Hemorrhage
17-25 wks: 21 Efficient completion of procedure
Prophylactic antibiotics
Infection 2.5 PO doxy or IV cephalosporin
n/a – unpredictable
Post-abortal 1.8
hematometra Immediate re-aspiration required
Requirements for a safe D&E Program
Laminaria
Osmotic dilators
Dried compressed seaweed sticks,
5-10mm diameter in size
4-19 dilators can be placed
Slow swelling to exert slow
circumferential pressure and dilation
1-2 days prior to procedure
Paracervical block with 20cc 0.25%
bupivicaine
D&E
Procedure
Adequate anesthesia
Ultrasound guidance
Uterine evacuation using suction and instruments
Paracervical block with 20cc 0.5% lidocaine and
4U vasopressin to decrease blood loss
Labor Induction Abortion
Patient is awake
Can obtain analgesia for pain
Fetus delivered intact
Often only option for obese women
Bottom Line Concepts
First trimester bleeding occurs in 25% of all pregnancies and 25-50%
will progress to a spontaneous abortion
Etiologies of first trimester bleeding include normal pregnancy,
spontaneous abortion/early pregnancy failure, or ectopic pregnancy.
Diagnosis of normal vs abnormal early pregnancy made using physical
exam and ultrasound and/or ßhCG
50% of spontaneous abortions are the result of genetic abnormalities
Management of spontaneous abortion can be medical or surgical and
surgical options can be in the operating room or in the clinic
1/3 women will have an induced abortion
Induced abortion before 8 weeks is safest
Risks associated with induced abortion are less than childbirth or
driving a car
Methods for induced abortion include medication or surgical
Case No. 1