The effect of induced abortion on subsequent pregnancy outcome

Article Abstract:

The ratio of induced abortions to live births in England and Wales was 1/4 between 1971 and 1986. This ratio indicates the procedure is chosen by many women and should, therefore, be carried out safely. This long-term prospective study, started in 1976, investigated the consequences of induced abortion, particularly with respect to its effects on subsequent pregnancies. Two groups of women were recruited: the abortion group (6,188 women) who had undergone an abortion; and the non-abortion group (7,073), who had experienced an unplanned pregnancy that was not terminated. The subjects were followed for approximately 10 years and information concerning complications and subsequent pregnancies was obtained. Of the women who had an abortion, 1,540 subsequently became pregnant; of those women who did not terminate their pregnancy, 2,691 again became pregnant. Of these women, follow-up data were available for 1,311 women in the abortion group and 2,131 in the nonabortion group. Three measures of adverse outcome in these pregnancies were used: nonviability (miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, neonatal death, stillbirth); birthweight; and duration of gestation. None of these factors was found to be related to a previous induced abortion. Women whose initial abortions had been performed in the National Health Service had a 2.55 times greater risk of nonviability of the next pregnancy than those who had undergone the procedure in the private sector. In addition, these babies were of lower birthweight (119 grams less). These effects were most likely only partly due to differences in medical care, and probably reflected other factors not measured in the study. The duration of the subsequent pregnancy was not affected by induced abortion. Induced abortion did not appear to be associated with subsequent adverse effects on the next pregnancy. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

United Kingdom, Complications and side effects, Risk factors, Abortion, Pregnancy, Complications of, Pregnancy complications, Great Britain

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Experience with early postcesarean hospital dismissal

Article Abstract:

Discharge from the hospital within 48 hours after a cesarean section may be an option for carefully screened patients. A comparison of 117 women who were discharged from the hospital on the second day after surgery and 93 women who left three or more days after surgery found no significant differences in complication rates. The complication rate for the combined group was 6.2%. None of the patients who were discharged early needed to be readmitted to the hospital. More than 70% of the complications in the early discharge group occurred four or more days after surgery. Stringent criteria should be used to determine eligibility for early discharge. These criteria should include a lack of intraoperative complications, an uncomplicated pregnancy, a Pfannenstiel incision without discharge, stable vital signs and normal bowel sounds by the second day after surgery.

Evaluation, Cesarean section

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