Objective

To assess the incidence of complications of abortion performed under local anesthesia.

Design

Prospective study.

Setting.

A family planning center in the Paris area.

Population.

Eight hundred and fifty-eight women admitted for abortion under local anesthesia.

Main outcome measures

Incidence of immediate (the day of vacuum aspiration) and delayed complications (at the follow-up visit 2 weeks after the procedure).

Results

Among the 858 women who underwent vacuum aspiration, 683 (80%) attended the follow-up visit 2 weeks after the procedure.

Fifty-nine percent of the 858 women had not had a previous abortion. 25% had had one, and 16% had had two or more.

The average duration of amenorrhea was 8.6 weeks (19% at 6 or 7 weeks. 67% between 8 and 10 weeks, and 14% after 10 weeks).

The overall complication rate was 3.4% (23/683) (95% CI=2.0-4.8%). The incidence of immediate complications was 1.7% (15/858) (0.8-2.6%) and that of delayed complications 1.2% (8/683) (0.4-2.0%). Conclusion.

This study confirms the safety and efficacy of abortion by vacuum aspiration under local anesthesia.