Vacuum aspiration

Suction-aspiration abortion is a form of abortion using aspiration. It is the most commonly used method of abortion in the world. In this method, the clinician (usually a physician) may first use a local anesthetic called a "paracervical block" to numb the cervix. Then the clinician may use instruments called "dilators" to open the cervix, or sometimes medically induce dilation with drugs. (Manual vacuum aspiration, which can be used earlier in pregnancy than Electric vacuum aspiration, does not require cervical dilation or paracervical block.) After cervical dilation, a sterile cannula is inserted into the uterus and attached via tubing to either an electric pump or a specialized syringe depending on whether the procedure is electric vacuum aspiration or manual vacuum aspiration respectively. The pump or syringe creates a gentle vacuum which empties uterine contents. The contents include the embryo or fetus as well as the decidua, chorionic villi, amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane and other tissue. A clinician may utilize a curette to ensure that all tissue was removed. Post-abortion care includes brief observation in a recovery area and a follow-up appointment approximately two weeks later.

It is considered to be a non-invasive abortion, as surgery is not involved. Also, the 0.5% rate of infection is the lowest risk of infection out of any other surgical abortion^[1].

See also

• Manual vacuum aspiration
• Electric vacuum aspiration

References

1. ^ "Manual and vacuum aspiration for abortion". A-Z Health Guide from WebMD. Retrieved February 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

External links

• American Women's Services
• Planned Parenthood

Manual vacuum aspiration (or MVA) is a form of suction-aspiration abortion in which an embryo is extracted from the uterus via the cervix through a cannula attached to a single-valve syringe which is operated by hand, instead of by an electric vacuum. It is also known as mini-abortion, mini-suction, and pre-emptive abortion. It is technologically similar to menstrual regulation and menstrual extraction; mestrual regulation and extraction can be performed with or without confirmed pregnancy while MVA is intended specifically to induce termination of a confirmed pregnancy. MVA is also similar to electric vacuum aspiration, with two crucial differences. Firstly, MVA does not require electricity or expensive electrical machines, so it is cheaper and can be practiced in places without electricity or access to expensive machines. Secondly, because it can be performed in very early pregnancy, MVA does not require cervical dilation, unlike EVA.

MVA is typically used for pregnancies between 3 to 7 weeks after a woman's last menstrual cycle. It is the only surgical method of abortion available before the sixth week of pregnancy. The procedure usually takes 10 minutes, and involves inserting a Karman canula attached to a specialized syringe through the cervical os to empty uterine contents. Dr Jerry Edwards, a Texas physician, introduced a method that uses ultrasound, manual vacuum aspiration and hCG follow-up testing which not only allows abortion immediately after a positive pregnancy test, but also detects ectopic pregnancy before it is symptomatic.

The procedure is 98% effective, and the rate of infection is the lowest out of any other surgical abortion at 0.5%.

The key to the development of MVA was the invention of the Karman canula, a soft, flexible cannula that reduced the risks of puncturing the uterus.

MVA is also used to terminate molar pregnancy.

External link

• Detailed description from World Health Organization, written for medical professionals