A comparison of medical induction and dilation and evacuation for second-trimester abortion

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare complication rates of patients who undergo dilation and evacuation or medical abortion between 14 and 24 weeks of gestation. Study Design: We present a retrospective cohort study of 297 women who underwent either dilation and evacuation or medical abortion. Statistical methods included the Student t test, the χ2 test, the Fisher exact test (where appropriate), and logistic regression. Results: The overall complication rate was significantly lower in patients who underwent dilation and evacuation than in patients who underwent medical abortion (4% vs 29%; P < .001). Medical abortions with misoprostol resulted in a lower complication rate than abortions with other medications (odds ratio, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.4). More Laminaria was associated with a decreased risk of complications with surgical abortions (odds ratio, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.7-1.0). Conclusion: Dilation evacuation is the safest method of second-trimester abortion. Misoprostol is safer than other methods for medical abortion. Maximal use of Laminaria will decrease complication rates in surgical abortion. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:393-7.)