Abstract
Background
The aim of the study was to evaluate pain and predictors of pain in women undergoing
electric (EVA) or manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) for first trimester surgical abortions
and to examine how perceptions of pain differ among participants, advocates (participant
support person) and physicians.
Study Design
In this randomized controlled study, women presenting for first trimester abortion
underwent standardized EVA or MVA. Participants completed questionnaires, visual analog
scales (VAS) and Likert scales for pain. Logistic and linear regression models were
used to analyze the data.
Results
Nonwhite women and women who preoperatively expected more pain reported higher procedure-related
pain scores. Vacuum source, previous history of abortion, comfort with decision to
have an abortion and partner involvement did not affect participant pain scores. In
the multivariable analyses, no single factor predicted procedure-associated pain.
The advocates perceived that more educated women had less pain. Physicians felt longer
procedures and a woman's fear of pelvic examinations caused more pain. Physicians
believed women had less pain than the participants reported themselves (p<.001). Only
physicians thought that EVA was less painful than MVA (p<.01).
Conclusion
Distinct factors other than vacuum source affect the perception of abortion-related
pain. Understanding these factors may help inform counseling strategies aimed at ameliorating
pain perception during first trimester abortions.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 28, 2008
Accepted:
March 12,
2008
Received in revised form:
March 11,
2008
Received:
September 25,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
