Vacuum aspiration at therapeutic abortion: influence of two different negative pressures on blood loss during and after operation.

In 167 women blood loss was measured during and after vacuum aspiration for therapeutic abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. Two different negative pressures were used -49.1 kPa (-0.5 kp/cm2) and -78.5 kPa (-0.8 kp/cm2) in a randomized series. It was found that for the whole first trimester (8--13 weeks) blood loss during and after operation was relatively small and not influenced by the pressure used. In no case blood loss exceeded 500 ml at operation or 60 ml during the first post-operative week. In 6 women post-operative infections were diagnosed.