Procedure
UP TO 14 WEEKS
The patient will enter the intervention room, joining the nurse, the gynaecologist who will perform the interruption, the clinical assistant and the psychologist-psychiatrist (if necessary).
The vital signs are controlled (blood pressure, pulse, etc), there is no protocol for starting an IV, the Rh factor is noted in case the subsequent administration of Anti-D gammaglobulin were to prove necessary. In this eventuality, and if the partner is present and with his consent, RH will be administered. Although rare, in the event of both being negative, Gammaglobulin would not be administered.
In the event that the patient refuses its administration, she will sign a document to signify her rejection of same.
Along general lines and depending on the emotional state of the patient, we tend to administer 5mg of sub-lingual diazepam a few minutes before the intervention, although according to scientific research this pre-medication is not absolutely necessary, neither is the routine administration of atropine.
The neck of the uterus is visualised, paracervical local anaesthesia is administered, dilation and aspiration according to the normal Karman method technique is performed, all under pre, intra and post-operative ultrasound monitoring (with graphic impression pre and post-abortion).
In being local anaesthesia (paracervical), there is always some discomfort, although pain is very subjective and therefore it is difficult to quantify, as some patients maintain they experienced marked pain whilst others says: “I felt no pain at all”.
The patient FEELS NO PAIN with conscious inhalatory analgesia
Some clinics provide sedation.
Ginealmeria Operating Theatre
Technique
The gynaecologist introduces a plastic atraumatic cannula into the uterus and empties the contents using continuous electronic aspiration. The surgical process itself lasts no more than 4 to 6 minutes.
Subsequently, the patient moves into the recovery room for her immediate supervision and administration of necessary and/or outpatient medication (analgesics, antibiotics, methylergometrine, etc). (If the patient so wishes, she may be accompanied by her partner).
After a few minutes, if the patient’s condition is satisfactory, her vital signs normal and there is no significant blood loss from the vagina, she will be discharged, and given instructions, emergency telephone numbers, appointment for a subsequent check-up and a report on the procedure performed, so that the patient can take it to her local Health Centre, G.P. or Gynaecologist or whomsoever referred her to our clinic. We also suggest to the patient that she attend a consultation in order to find out about methods of birth control for the purposes of trying to avoid another unwanted pregnancy.
