TRANSIENT BACTEREMIA DUE TO SUCTION ABORTION - IMPLICATIONS FOR SBE ANTIBIOTIC PROPHYLAXIS

Google Scholar
  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 50  (5) , 471-479
Abstract
The incidence and character of the bacteremia associated with elective suction abortion was investigated in volunteer subjects aged 19-35 yr who were to undergo first trimester abortion by suction curettage. Blood cultures (144) were obtained from 13 pregnant and 4 non-pregnant (control) subjects matched for age. Transient bacteremia occurred during or soon after suction abortion in 11 of 13 (84.7%) study subjects. Four of these patients were bacteremic after bimanual pelvic examintion, just prior to initiation of the abortion procedure. Seven others developed bacteremia temporally related to cervical dilatation and suction abortion. The bacteremia was intermittent in some, persistent in others, existed as long as 1 h after the procedure and was transient in all patients. Microorganisms isolated from the blood were all normal genital tract flora and were predominantly anaerobes, although .alpha.-hemolytic streptococci were also recovered. Mixed bacteremia occurred in 6 patients. In contrast, blood cultures from 4 non-pregnant women were sterile. This study indicates that the systemic circulation-uterine cavity barrier is significantly disrupted during abortion by suction curettage permitting endogenous genital tract microorganisms to gain access into the bloodstream. There may be some risk of developing endocarditis during suction abortion in patients with cardiac deformities. The current practice of giving antibiotic prophylaxis to abortion patients with cardiac lesions which predispose them to endocarditis is supported.

This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit: