HYSTERECTOMY AS TREATMENT FOR COMPLICATIONS OF LEGAL-ABORTION

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 63  (4) , 457-462
Abstract
The frequency of hysterectomy as treatment for abortion complications may reflect the incidence of serious abortion morbidity. To examine this use of hysterectomy, reports of .apprx. 237,000 legal abortions performed in the USA from 1970 to 1978 were analyzed. Overall, the rate of hysterectomy associated with curettage abortion decreased from 4.6/10,000 abortions in 1970 to 1971 to 1.4/10,000 in 1975 to 1978; the rate of hysterectomy associated with instillation abortion fell from 6.8 to 4.3/10,000 for the same years. A history of older age, previous births, use of instillation abortion, and preexisting gynecologic disorders increased the likelihood of hysterectomy. In cases of curettage abortion, hysterectomy rates increased significantly with advancing gestational age. Changes in abortion technology, improvements in physician skill, and more conservative management of complications have likely contributed to the decreasing frequency of hysterectomy necessitated by abortion complications.

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