Postabortion care
Postmiscarriage care is important and involves several components, Dr. Prager said.
- RhoGAM treatment. The use of RhoGAM to prevent Rh immunization has been routine, but data increasingly suggest this is not necessary, and in some countries it is not given at all, particularly at 8 or fewer weeks of gestation and sometimes even during the whole first trimester for early pregnancy loss. “That is not common practice yet in the United States; I’m not recommending at this time that everybody change their practice ... but I will say that there are some really interesting studies going on right now in the United States that are looking specifically at this, and I think we may, within the next 10 years or so, change this practice of giving RhoGAM at all gestational ages,” she said.
- Counseling about bleeding. Light to moderate bleeding after abortion is common for about 2 weeks after abortion, with normal menses returning between 4 and 8 weeks, and typically around 6 weeks. “I usually ask patients to come back and see me if they have not had what seems to be a normal period to them 8 weeks following their completed process,” Dr. Prager said.
- Counseling about human chorionic gonadotropin levels. It is also helpful to inform patients that human chorionic gonadotropin may remain present for about 2-4 weeks after completed abortion, resulting in a positive pregnancy test during that time. A positive test at 4 weeks may still be normal, but warrants evaluation to determine why the patient is testing positive.
- Counseling about conception timing. Data do not support delaying repeat pregnancy after abortion. Studies show no difference in the ability to conceive or in pregnancy outcomes among women who conceive without delay after early pregnancy loss and in those who wait at least 3 months. “So what I now tell women is ‘when you’re emotionally ready to start trying to get pregnant again, it’s perfectly medically acceptable to do so. There’s no biologic reason why you have to wait,’ ” she said.
- Contraception initiation. Contraception, including IUDs, can be initiated right away after elective or spontaneous abortion. However, for IUD insertion after medical abortion, it is important to first use ultrasound to confirm complete abortion, Dr. Prager said.
- Grief counseling. This may be appropriate in cases of early pregnancy loss and for elective abortions. “Both groups of people may need some counseling, may be experiencing grief around this process – and they may not be,” she said. “I think we just need to be sensitive about asking our patients what their needs might be around this.”
Future directions
The future of medical management for first trimester abortion may involve “demedicalization,” Dr. Prager said.
“There are many papers coming out now about clinic versus home use of mifepristone,” she said, explaining that home use would require removing the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy restriction that requires that the drug be dispensed in a clinic by a physician or physician extender.
Studies are also looking at prescriptions, pharmacist provision of mifepristone, and mailing of medications to women in rural areas.
Another area of research beyond these “really creative ways of using these medications” is whether medical management is effective beyond 10 weeks. A study that will soon be published is looking at mifepristone and two doses of misoprostol at 11 weeks, she noted.
“I think from pregnancy diagnosis through at least week 10 – soon we will see potentially week 11 – medical abortion techniques are safe, they’re effective, and they’re extremely well accepted by patients,” she said. “Also ... a diverse group of clinicians can be trained to offer medical abortion and provide back-up so that access can be improved.”
Dr. Prager reported having no financial disclosures.