[Medical and socio-demographic implications of abortion at Felix Bulnes Hospital in Santiago (author's transl)]. / Aborto en Santiago aspectos médicos y socio-demográficos.

PIP: 602 patients were admitted for treatment of incomplete abortion (including inevitable or threatened abortion) from May 1 to October 31, 1974, at Felix Bulnes Hospital in Santiago Chile. Routine treatment included dilation and curettage in 88.7% of the cases, with a mean hospitalization time of 2.5 nights. Complications in 14.6% included fever, pelvic infection, and blood loss requiring transfusion. 78.4% had used no form of contraception in the month previous to conception, but 68.9% of those who returned for a follow-up (only 37.7%) were using effective contraceptives. The study indicates: 1) the cost of abortion is high in terms of risk of complications and hospital time; 2) infection associated with abortions outside the hospital is high; and 3) acceptance of contraception after abortion is not high enough to deter repetition of abortion.^ieng

IUD insertion immediately after incomplete abortion.

PIP: All women who were admitted to the Felix Bulnes Hospital, Santiaog, Chile, for incomplete abortion between July 1968 and June 1969 were given instruction in family planning and contraceptive services. A total of 584 women chose to have an IUD insertion. Although all the women thought they had received an IUD, 1 group had a Lippes loop D inserted immediately after curettage and the other group had no insertion. The attending doctor had no prior knowledge as to which women were to receive the device nor did the doctor at the follow-up know until after the physical exam had taken place. 30 days after discharge from the hospital, the women returned from check-up and follow-up. At this time the women who had not received an IUD were given an insertion. Differences between the group with insertion and the one without were significant only for the interval between curettage and first menses and for the quantity of flow in relation to previous menstruation. The difference between the 2 groups for duration of menstrual flow was of borderline significance at the .05 significance level. It is concluded from the study that in the absence of psychologi cal bias of the patient to the IUD insertion, and possibly bias in its use by the doctor, there are no serious complications in the first month following immediate postabortal IUD insertion even where the abortion was a septic incomplete one.^ieng