Ambulatory Abortion: Experience with 26,000 Cases (July 1, 1970, to August 1, 1971)

Abstract

Abstract Since a liberalized abortion law became effective in New York State on July 1, 1970, the Center for Reproductive and Sexual Health, Incorporated, has performed 26,000 first-trimester ambulatory abortions by the vacuum aspiration technic under paracervical-block anesthesia. There were no known deaths in this series, and the complication rate compares favorably with that reported from elsewhere in New York State and the Eastern European countries. Preabortlon counseling using paraprofessional personnel and the training of these paraprofessionals to perform the duties of a procedure-room circulating nurse has been successful. Analysis of the 13 months' experience demonstrates that the use of hospital facilities for abortion is probably unnecessary except for a relatively small number of women who have coexisting medical, surgical, gynecologic or psychiatric abnormalities.