Patient's question:
I've been pregnant for a month. What medication is best to use?Doctor's answer:
Medication Abortion: Medication abortion is only available if the pregnancy is within 49 days. It avoids the pain of surgical abortion, which is the main difference between medication abortion and surgical abortion. However, there are also some drawbacks. Medication abortion may result in incomplete expulsion of the embryo, meaning the embryo is not fully removed in one go, leading to residual tissue. This may require a second procedure to clear the uterus.Surgical Abortion: The methods include vacuum aspiration abortion and forceps curettage abortion. Within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, a surgical procedure using a vacuum device with a negative pressure of 400–500 mmHg is used to remove the embryonic tissue from the uterus. The main difference between surgical abortion and medication abortion is that surgical abortion is more painful but generally more effective in ensuring complete removal of the tissue.
Compared to surgical abortion, medication abortion does not involve surgical procedures, eliminating the risk of bacteria being artificially introduced into the uterine cavity. As a result, the risk of postoperative infection is relatively lower. However, medication abortion typically involves a longer bleeding period, averaging 18 days ± 11 days. Prolonged vaginal bleeding provides a fertile ground for bacterial growth. Additionally, due to the effects of medication and continuous vaginal bleeding, the cervix remains in a relaxed state. If bacteria ascend to the uterus during this time, it can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease.