The Choice of Second Trimester Abortion Method: Evolution, Evidence and Ethics

Case report: Peritonitis secondary to traumatic bowel perforation during second-trimester surgical abortion

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Uterine perforation and bowel injury are rare but potentially life-threatening complications of surgical abortion. Early diagnosis results in easier management and better prognosis. We report here a case of a 39-year-old presented with peritonitis secondary to traumatic bowel perforation after second-trimester surgical abortion.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 39-year-old Gravida 3 Para 2 presented with acute abdominal pain two days after second trimester induced abortion. On physical examination, the patient was febrile and hypotensive with diffuse abdominal tenderness. Emergency abdomino-pelvic-CT showed generalized peritonitis with pneumoperitoneum. The patient underwent an emergency laparotomy. Per operative exploration revealed a perforation of the fundus of the uterus and the sigmoid portion of the large intestine, resulting in stercoral peritonitis. We proceeded with thorough cleansing of the abdominal cavity with physiological serum, followed by partial colectomy including the perforated sigmoid and a Hartmann's procedure. The patient was admitted to the post-operative intensive care unit for 18 days and discharged on day 27 after the surgery. Intestinal continuity restoration was performed six months after the surgery.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Given the severity of second trimester pregnancy termination complications, efforts should be made to promote contraception and medical first-trimester pregnancy termination. Any unusual symptom after surgical induced abortion should lead to suspect uterine perforation.

CONCLUSION

Uterine perforation during induced abortion is usually asymptomatic and can generally be managed conservatively. However, bowel injury may result in peritonitis, requiring immediate laparotomy and resection of perforated bowel. CT-scans can help diagnose this rare complication.

Dilation and evacuation versus medication abortion at 15-24 weeks of gestation in low-middle income country: A retrospective cohort study

Objective

To compare the effectiveness and safety of dilation and evacuation (D&E) to that of medication abortion at 15-24 weeks in a low-middle income country.

Study design

We conducted a retrospective cohort on effectiveness and safety of D&E vs medication abortion at 15-24 weeks in an Ethiopian setting over a year (January 1-December 31, 2023). We looked at success (need for additional procedure) of both abortion procedures and their complication rates. Hemorrhage, infection, uterine perforation/rupture, and cervical tear were the complications we compared between the groups (D&E group vs medication abortion group). P-value less than 0.05 and Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI were used to present results significance.

Results

A total of 225 abortion cases (162 medication abortion cases and 63 D&E cases) at gestational age of 15-24 weeks were included in the final analysis. The mean gestational age was 18 ± 2.8 weeks in the D&E group compared to 21 ± 3 weeks in the medication abortion group (p-value < 0.001). The overall procedure effectiveness between the abortion procedures was similar (95.2% vs 96.9% in the D&E group and medication abortion groups, p-value = 0.542). D&E (AOR = 2.92 [95% CI = 0.62-13.69]) was not associated with increased overall complications compared to medication abortion, after controlling for parity, gestational age, and history of prior uterine scar.

Conclusion

We found both abortion methods (D&E and medication abortion) are effective with comparable complication rates.

Implications

D&E and medication abortion are safe and effective methods of abortion for gestations up to 24 weeks even in a low-middle income country (LMIC) setting; as such, greater resources are needed to ensure to increase availability of D&E in order for women to have a choice in their treatment options.

Using Prophylactic Antihemorrhagic Medications in Second-Trimester Surgical Abortions

We aimed to estimate the association of prophylactic antihemorrhagic medication use during dilation and evacuation (D&E) with operative hemorrhage and estimated blood loss (EBL). Records for all pregnant patients between 14 and less than 22 weeks of gestation who had a D&E procedure from January 2012 to December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Prophylactic antihemorrhagic medication use was defined as receiving vasoconstrictors, uterotonics, or both before identification of hemorrhage during a D&E procedure. Overall, 147 D&E procedures were completed at a mean of 16.4 (±2.2) weeks of gestation. Prophylactic medications were used in 72.1% (n=106) of D&E procedures. Prophylactic medication use was associated with lower operative hemorrhage (21.7% vs 51.2%, P <.01) and lower EBL (336.9 mL vs 551.3 mL, P <.01).

Rates of complication for dilation and evacuation versus induction of labor in treatment of second trimester intrauterine fetal demise

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate clinical differences in the safety of dilation and evacuation (D&E) and induction of labor (IOL) for the treatment of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) between 14 and 24 weeks gestation.

STUDY DESIGNS

A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single institution comparing rates of major and minor complications between patients who undergo D&E and those that undergo IOL in the treatment of IUFD between 14 and 24 weeks gestation. Demographic and medical variables were stratified by management method and analyzed using chi-squared and t-tests where appropriate.

RESULTS

Patients who underwent IOL were of a more advanced gestational age and more likely to be uninsured. Patients who underwent D&E were more likely to be privately insured. Hospital time for an IOL was significantly longer than for D&E. Composite rates of complication did not differ significantly between management groups. Patients treated with D&E were more likely to require uterine aspiration.

CONCLUSIONS

D&E and IOL are equally safe methods for the management of IUFD between 14 and 24 weeks gestation. Both options should be made available to patients who experience this rare pregnancy outcome.

Too big, too young, too risky: How diagnosis of the foetal body determines trajectories of care for the pregnant woman in pre-viability second trimester pregnancy loss

Women in the English National Health Service facing pre-viability second trimester pregnancy loss through foetal death, premature labour or termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly find themselves in a particular trajectory of care. This usually involves the requirement to labour and birth the foetal body and may involve undergoing feticide in cases of termination. Drawing on ethnographic research investigating women's experiences of second trimester pregnancy loss, I argue that the determining factor affecting care trajectories for the pregnant body is the biomedically diagnosed status of the foetal body. Foetal size, non-viability and the potential for live birth during terminations all structure the healthcare options for the woman facing pregnancy loss in the second trimester. As such, the diagnostic classification of the foetal body in the context of gestational time determines the medical care afforded to the pregnant body. This results in specific consequences for women, whose experiences of, and choices around, second trimester pregnancy loss are constrained by diagnostic and classificatory decisions around the status of the foetal being before legal viability.

The costs and cost effectiveness of providing second-trimester medical and surgical safe abortion services in Western Cape Province, South Africa

Background

In South Africa, access to second-trimester abortion services, which are generally performed using medical induction with misoprostol alone, is challenging for many women. We aimed to estimate the costs and cost effectiveness of providing three safe second-trimester abortion services (dilation and evacuation (D&E)), medical induction with mifepristone and misoprostol (MI-combined), or medical induction with misoprostol alone (MI-misoprostol)) in Western Cape Province, South Africa to aid policymakers with planning for service provision in South Africa and similar settings.

Methods

We derived clinical outcomes data for this economic evaluation from two previously conducted clinical studies. In 2013–2014, we collected cost data from three public hospitals where the studies took place. We collected cost data from the health service perspective through micro-costing activities, including discussions with site staff. We used decision tree analysis to estimate average costs per patient interaction (e.g. first visit, procedure visit, etc.), the total average cost per procedure, and cost-effectiveness in terms of the cost per complete abortion. We discounted equipment costs at 3%, and present the results in 2015 US dollars.

Results

D&E services were the least costly and the most cost-effective at $91.17 per complete abortion. MI-combined was also less costly and more cost-effective (at $298.03 per complete abortion) than MI-misoprostol (at $375.31 per complete abortion), in part due to a shortened inpatient stay. However, an overlap in the plausible cost ranges for the two medical procedures suggests that the two may have equivalent costs in some circumstances.

Conclusion

D&E was most cost-effective in this analysis. However, due to resistance from health care providers and other barriers, these services are not widely available and scale-up is challenging. Given South Africa’s reliance on medical induction, switching to the combined regimen could result in greater access to second-trimester services due to shorter inpatient stays without increasing costs.

Midtrimester dilation and evacuation versus prostaglandin induction: a comparison of composite outcomes

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to determine the optimal procedure for midtrimester uterine evacuation.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study of women undergoing midtrimester uterine evacuation by prostaglandin induction or dilation and evacuation (D&E). Primary outcome was composite complication, defined as any of the following: infection, need for additional surgery, unexpected admission or readmission, serious maternal morbidity, and/or maternal death.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty patients met inclusion criteria: 94 D&E and 126 induction. D&E was associated with less composite complications (15% vs 28%, P = .02), which persisted in adjusted analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.99; P = .05). Women in the induction group had higher rates of retained placenta requiring curettage (22% vs 2%, P = .01), whereas cervical injury was more common in the D&E group (5% vs 0%, P = .01). Median length of stay was significantly shorter in the D&E group (5.7 hours vs 28.4 hours, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Midtrimester D&E is associated with fewer complications than prostaglandin induction.

Immediate adverse events after second trimester medical termination of pregnancy: results of a nationwide registry study

BACKGROUND Increasing gestational age is associated with an increased risk of complications in studies assessing surgical termination of pregnancy (TOP). Medical TOP is widely used during the second trimester and little is known about the frequency of complications. This epidemiological study was undertaken to assess the frequency of adverse events following the second trimester medical TOP and to compare it with that after first trimester medical TOP. METHODS This register-based cohort study covered 18 248 women who underwent medical TOP in Finland between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2006. The women were identified from the Abortion Registry. Adverse events related to medical TOP within 6 weeks were obtained from the Hospital Discharge Registry. RESULTS When compared with first trimester medical TOP, second trimester medical TOP increased the risk of surgical evacuation [Adj. odds ratio (OR) 7.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.8-8.9], especially immediately after fetal expulsion (Adj. OR 15.2; 95% CI 12.8-18.0). The risk of infection was also elevated (Adj. OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.5-2.9). Within the second trimester, increased length of gestation did not influence the risk of surgical evacuation or infection after medical TOP. CONCLUSIONS Medical TOP during the second trimester is generally safe. Surgical evacuation of the uterus is avoided in about two-thirds of cases, though it is much more common than after first trimester medical TOP. The risks of surgical evacuation and infection do not increase with gestational weeks in the second trimester TOP.