title: Update on early medical and surgical abortion.
abstract: Abortion is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. Recent innovations in medicine make early pregnancy termination safe and effective. Our purpose is to review advances in early detection and confirmation of intrauterine pregnancy and discuss medical and surgical techniques for elective termination early in pregnancy. Manual vacuum aspiration is a safe and effective method for pregnancy termination through 10 weeks' gestation. Medical abortion using methotrexate or mifepristone with misoprostol is safe and effective for early pregnancy termination through 7 weeks' gestation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Westfall
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Brien-Gonzales
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barley
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate; D015735:Mifepristone; D016595:Misoprostol; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D014619:Vacuum Curettage
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D016595:Misoprostol; D015735:Mifepristone; D008727:Methotrexate