Improving technologies to reduce abortion-related morbidity and mortality.
This article reviews the technologies used to diagnose pregnancy and manage abortion in developing countries. The author discusses methods of diagnosing pregnancy--including physical examination, laboratory and home testing, and ultrasound--as well as methods for performing safe abortions. Due to manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) advances, vacuum aspiration has become safer and more feasible in low-resource settings. The discussion of medical abortion includes the advantages and limitations of mifepristone, misoprostol-only regimens, methotrexate, and other methods. The author stresses the importance of post-abortion care and post-abortion contraception and, in the conclusion, identifies six areas in which technology can reduce abortion-related morbidity and mortality: pregnancy prevention, early diagnosis of pregnancy, accurate assessment of gestation, standardization and supply of MVA technology, and simple and affordable regimens for medical abortion.
Rogo
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The World Bank, J8-805, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA. Krogo@worldbank.org
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000401:mortality*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D011247:Pregnancy; D014619:Vacuum Curettage