Comparison of Efficacy of Medical Versus Surgical Abortion

Shahla Imran; Hanozia Shah; Roohi Ehsan; Sadia Abdul Qayyum; Raffat Rasool; Sultan Rajpar

Shahla Imran Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine Bilawal Medical College, LUMHS, Jamshoro
Hanozia Shah Assistant Professor, Bilawal Medical College, LUMHS, Jamshoro
Roohi Ehsan HOD Forensic Medicine, Karachi Medical & Dental College, Karachi
Sadia Abdul Qayyum Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College Karachi
Raffat Rasool Assistant Professor, Forensic Medicine &Toxicology, Karachi Medical & Dental College, Karachi
Sultan Rajpar Assistant Professor in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, PUMHS, Nawabshah

Keywords: Medical Abortion, Surgical Abortion

Abstract

Objective: To compare clinical efficacy and rate of complications in surgical versus medical abortion.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Liaquat University medical and health sciences Hyderabad from January 2023 to March 2023. One hundred women, who were at least eighteen years old, who had disclosed or been referred to research settings for first-trimester pregnancy termination including treatment of incomplete pregnancy termination for whatever cause or legal abortions were eligible participants.

Results: The mean age and gestational age of the cases was 25.92 Â± 3.89, and 11.40 Â± 1.07 in medical abortion respectively while mean age and gestational age in surgical abortion was 26.16 Â± 3.93 and 11.34 Â± 1.06 respectively. From the total 30 (60%) medical abortions and 29 (58%) surgical abortions were of first pregnancy. There were 9 (18%) women in medical abortion group and 6 (12%) in surgical abortion group were having history of previous abortions. There comparison of pain scale, composite complication and pelvic infection showed significant p-value 0.011, < 0.001 and 0.014 respectively.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that, as compared to the medical method used for abortion, the surgical procedure is far safer, more effective, and has been linked to improved clinical outcomes in the first trimester of pregnancy. Consequently, it is advised that surgical abortion be the first choice and a component of any plan to enhance first-trimester abortion services.