Comparing medical abortion and surgical abortion.
Medical abortion using Mifepristone and Misoprostol for pregnancy ≤ 12 weeks 2 |
Surgical abortion using vacuum aspiration for pregnancy ≤ 12 weeks 2 |
Can be used from 4 weeks LMP. |
May not be available before 7 weeks LMP. |
Resembles a natural miscarriage. |
It’s a surgical procedure, which involves inserting a narrow tube into the uterus to aspirate the contents, using local or general anesthesia. |
Medicines can be used at home and abortion can happen there. |
Abortion happens in a health facility and is done by a health professional. (Untrained providers may cause severe complications and risks to the woman). |
Abortion process lasts more than one day. |
Procedure is completed within 5-15 minutes. |
May be painful for 2-3 hours or more after using misoprostol |
May be painful during the procedure, if done under local anesthesia, and afterwards when the uterus contracts. |
Severe complications are rare. |
Severe complications are rare if the health professional is experienced and well-trained. |
Longer period of post-abortion bleeding, up to several weeks. |
Shorter period of post-abortion bleeding. |
Anesthesia is not needed. Pain medication should be available. |
Pain medication, light sedation and local anesthesia should be provided. |
Efficacy 95-98%. |
Efficacy 95-100%. 1 |
Women may see blood clots and the products of conception. |
Women do not see products of conception. |
Women can start using pills the day of the first pill, but the IUCD (intrauterine contraceptive device ) or sterilization can be done only after the confirmation that the woman is no longer pregnant. |
Women can start using a contraceptive method right away (pills, etc.) The IUCD can be inserted right after the abortion. |
IMPORTANT: Sharp curettage (D&C, scraping) is an outdated method of surgical abortion that may be risky. It should be replaced by vacuum aspiration and/or medical methods.16 Despite compelling evidence against it, unfortunately sharp curettage is still a widely practiced method in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe either to manage incomplete, missed or induced abortion.17