Outpatient Termination of Early Pregnancies Using Syringe and Plastic Cannula

Using a 50 ml syringe and a Karman-type cannula-curette, outpatient therapeutic abortions were done in 543 women who were not more than eight weeks pregnant. All patients received paracervical block analgesia and atropine was given intravenously to minimize vagal reactions. In five women (0.9 percent) pregnancies were missed by the procedure, and in 13 women (2.4 percent) abortions were incomplete. In only one patient did a significant postoperative pelvic infection occur. Twenty-seven women (4.9 percent) were not pregnant; the initiation of routine urine pregnancy testing reduced the percentage of those who were nongravid. The procedure using syringe and plastic cannula is safe, well tolerated and has reduced therapeutic abortion costs.