First-Trimester Surgical Abortion

摘要

To say that abortion is still a charged issue in the 21st century is clearly an understatement. However, regardless of personal belief, it is incumbent upon all obstetrician-gynecologists to be familiar with the history, procedure(s), risks, and complications of abortion today to deliver the safest, highest-quality health care to our patients. As surgical and now medical abortion have evolved in the United States since their re-legalization by the 1973 US Supreme Court decision, Roe v Wade, fewer and fewer obstetrician-gynecologists include this important tool in their day-to-day practice. In parallel, a decreasing number of residency training programs, which were once the mainstay of abortion training in the United States, provide this necessary education to their graduates on a routine basis. As a result, there is a gap in the first-hand experience of many generalist obstetrician-gynecologists in performing this procedure. The purpose of this lesson is to address this gap and improve the ability of physicians to perform this procedure in a safe and effective manner.