[Medical versus surgical first trimester abortion - a health technology assessment]

Rørbye C, Nilas L, Larsen RJ, Kildemoes HW, Folkersen J
Record ID 32005001231
Danish
Original Title: Medicinsk versus kirurgisk første trimester abort – en medicinsk teknologivurdering
Authors' objectives: Medical termination of pregnancy has through the last decade become an alternative to the traditional surgical method in an exceeding number of countries. In 1999 the medical board of Copenhagen Hospital Corporation (H:S) took initiative to perform a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in order to investigate the pros and cons for the introduction of medical abortion. While this HTA analysis was running from 2000-2004, medical abortion was introduced as an alternative to surgical abortion in H:S as well as in most other counties in Denmark. The aim of this report was to evaluate whether the introduction of medical abortion was the right decision or whether this decision should be revised.
Authors' recommendations: Recommendations based on the technology The technology based conclusion aims at the highest safety-efficacy profile for the patient. Since both abortion methods are safe and turn out successfully in the long run, focus is on complications. The higher risk of infection/suspected infection in relation to a surgical procedure assumes to be associated with reduced fertility in the future, but this association has not been directly investigated yet. If this assumption is proven, the medical procedure is recommended as the optimal abortion procedure, since most of the women undergoing termination of pregnancy wish to become pregnant later in life.
Authors' methods: Review
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2005
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: Denmark
MeSH Terms
  • Abortion, Induced
  • Mifepristone
Contact
Organisation Name: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment
Contact Address: National Board of Health, PO Box 1881, Islands Brygge 67, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Tel: 45 72 22 74 48; Fax: 45 72 22 74 07/67
Contact Name: dacehta@sst.dk
Contact Email: dacehta@sst.dk
Copyright: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.