Manual Vacum Aspiration: A Safe Alternative for Surgical Management of Early Pregnancy Loss

Abstract

Objective: To assess the efficacy of MVA in the management of first trimester early fetal demise and first and mid-trimester incomplete miscarriages.

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Teaching Hospital Khairpur from 1^st January to 31^st  December 2012.

Patients and Methods: A total of 145 cases with early pregnancy loss at < 12 weeks gestation, with a ultrasound diagnosis of an embryonic pregnancy, incomplete, missed and molar pregnancy were included in the study. Primary outcome measures were to assess the efficacy of the procedure and secondary outcome measures included safety of the procedure and rate of complications.

Results: A total of 145 women were included in the study. Efficacy of the procedure was 90.3%. Incomplete uterine evacuation was seen in 14(9.6%) patients while severe hemorrhage was seen in 1(0.6%) and infection in 6(4.1%) of study population.

Conclusion: MVA is an effective alternative to conventional suction curettage, in terms of reduced cost, need for general anesthesia and it is also useful in low resource setting with scarcity of electricity and to avoid prolonged hospital stay.