Romanian women’s satisfaction regarding instrumental evacuation versus medical induced abortion
Mihaela Plotogea (RO), Marina Antonovici (RO), Elvira Bratila (RO), Oana Ionescu (RO), Costin Berceanu (RO), Roxana Bohiltea (RO), Claudia Mehedintu (RO)
[Plotogea] Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, [Antonovici] Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, [Bratila] Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, [Ionescu] Filantropia Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, [Berceanu] University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Craiova, [Bohiltea] Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, [Mehedintu] Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Context: It is estimated that nearly one in five pregnancies are terminated by the end of the first trimester. The methods of pregnancy termination are surgically and medical induced abortion. Either of the two methods are associated with complications and have limitations and, regarding the patient’s and doctor’s satisfaction and expectations, one or the other is more preferred and used in different parts of the world. Methods and patients: The research was done in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of “Nicolae Malaxa” Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, between January 2016 and December 2016. It included 551 patients who underwent abortion in the department, 467 pregnancies were instrumental evacuated and 84 were medical induced. As a part of the follow-up, in addition to examination and ultrasound, they were asked to participate to a survey regarding their satisfaction with the two types of pregnancy termination. Results: The data revealed that, in the selected group of women, the majority of the abortions were instrumentally performed. Among the 467 of surgical pregnancy terminations, to 104 was suggested medical termination but they refused. Out of them, 21 patients have had a medical induced abortion in the past and declared unsatisfied with the procedure. Analyzing the data recorded from the survey questionnaires, medical induced abortion is related to heavy bleeding followed by long periods of bleeding, up to 3 weeks, greater pain and malaise compared to surgical abortion. Even though the fear of complications related to instrumental evacuation is increased, most of the women would prefer surgical abortion in the future. Conclusions: The patient’s educational level regarding contraception is still very low making the medical induced abortion less known and preferred versus the popular surgical abortion despite the complications related to the last method.