Risk factors in first-trimester abortion.

Among 238 women who underwent first-trimester abortion and who were randomized to the placebo group in a clinical controlled trial we studied the possible correlation of the variables age, parity, number of previous spontaneous and induced abortions, previous pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), gestational age, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, social status, and the application of an intrauterine device (IUD) at abortion - to the number of days with pain, bleeding, discharge, fever, absence from work, and day of first coitus after abortion. The ANOVA test of Kruskal-Wallis with the limit of significance p less than 0.05 was employed. Women with one or more previous spontaneous abortions had significantly more days with postabortive bleeding (p = 0.010). Women with previous PID and women with dysmenorrhea had significantly more days with pain after abortion (p = 0.011 and p = 0.001). Women at a gestational age of 11-12 weeks had significantly more days with fever (p = 0.009). Women who had an IUD inserted at abortion suffered more days with pain and bleeding (p = 0.038 and p = 0.043). No one group of women carried a risk of several severe complaints after abortion except those with a history of PID.

Prophylactic antibiotics in first-trimester abortions: a clinical, controlled trial.

The efficacy of prophylactic antibiotic therapy in induced first-trimester abortions was investigated in a double-blind study. Of the 493 women in the study, 254 received doses of 2 million IU of penicillin G intramuscularly one-half hour before and 3 hours after the procedure, followed by 350 mg of pivampicillin three times daily for 4 days, and 239 women received corresponding doses of placebo. The incidence of pelvic infectious complications was 5.5% in the treated group and 10.9% in the control group (p = 0.05). The difference could be attributed to a selective prophylactic effect in women who had earlier suffered from pelvic inflammatory disease (N = 105). The rate of infection in this group was 22.4% among those receiving placebo and 2.1% among those receiving antibiotics (p = 0.006). Prophylactic administration of antibiotics for first-trimester abortions should be used in women who have earlier had pelvic inflammatory disease.

PIP: The efficacy of prophylactic antibiotic therapy in induced first trimester abortions was investigated in a double-blind study. Of the 493 women in the study, 254 received dosed of 2 million IU of penicillin G intermuscularly 1/2 hour before and 3 hours after the procedure, followed by 350 mg of pivampicillin 3 times daily for 4 days, and 239 women received corresponding doses of placebo. The incidence of pelvic infectious complications was 5.5% in the treated group and 10.9% in the control group (P=0.05). The difference could be attributed to a selective prophylactic effect in women who had earlier suffered from (PID) pelvic inflammatory disease (N=105). The rate of infection in this group was 22.4% among those receiving placebo and 2.1% among those receiving antibiotics (P=0.006). Prophylactic administration of antibiotics for first trimester abortions should be used in women who have earlier had PID.

[Prophylactic antibiotic therapy in induced abortion. A cost benefit analysis]. / Profylaktiske antibiotika ved abortus provocatus. En nyttevirkningsanalyse.

PIP: The Danish national social expense/annum of 25,000 terminations of pregnancy was calculated to equal 135 million Danish crowns in 1979 (11 million pounds). If prophylactic penicillin/ampicillin treatment is introduced in the treatment of women who had previously had genital infections, 7 million Danish crowns could be saved annually (approximately 580,000 pounds) based on a clinically controlled investigation of the effect of prophylactic antibiotic therapy. To this must be added the savings in expenses for treating secondary infertility and other sequelae of postabortion infection. These calculations are associated with considerable uncertainty because of poorly defined information on the basic economy. (author's)^ieng