The American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists
WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE PHYSICIANS

P RACTICE BULLET IN
clinical management guidelines for obstetrician – gynecologists

Number 135, June 2013 

Second-Trimester Abortion
In the United States, more than one half of pregnancies are unintended, with 3 in 10 women having an abortion by
age 45 years (1). In 2008, 1.2 million abortions occurred in the United States, of which 6.2% took place between
13 weeks of gestation and 15 weeks of gestation, and 4.0% took place at 16 weeks of gestation or later (2, 3). Only
1.3% of abortions are performed at 21 weeks of gestation or later (4). The proportion of abortions performed in the
second trimester, usually defined as between 13 weeks of gestation and 26 weeks of gestation (as calculated from the
last menstrual period), has remained stable during the past two decades (4). The purpose of this document is to provide evidence-based guidelines for the medical and surgical methods of second-trimester termination as well as for
the management of associated complications.

Background
Indications for Second-Trimester
Abortion
Second-trimester abortion is an important component of
comprehensive women’s health care, and women seek
termination later in pregnancy for a variety of medical and social reasons. Circumstances that can lead to
second-trimester abortion include delays in suspecting
and testing for pregnancy, delay in obtaining insurance
or other funding, and delay in obtaining referral, as well
as difficulties in locating and traveling to a provider
(5). Poverty, lower education level, and having multiple disruptive life events, have been associated with
higher rates of seeking second-trimester abortion (3). In
addition, major anatomic or genetic anomalies may be
detected in the fetus in the second trimester and women
may choose to terminate their pregnancies (47–95%)
(6–8). The identification of major anatomic or genetic
anomalies in the fetus through screening and diagnostic
testing most commonly occurs in the second trimester,

although first-trimester screening and chorionic villus
sampling can enable first-trimester diagnosis of aneuploidy. Some obstetric and medical indications for
second-trimester termination include preeclampsia and
preterm premature rupture of membranes, among other
conditions. Additional indications for uterine evacuation in the second trimester are pregnancy failure before
20 weeks of gestation and fetal demise. In 2005, the U.S.
fetal mortality rate was 6.22 fetal deaths at 20 weeks of
gestation or more per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths,
and this rate was higher for teenagers; women aged
35 years and older; and among non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native women (9).

Methods of Second-Trimester Abortion
Both surgical and medical methods of pregnancy termination can be used in the second trimester. Limited
evidence suggests that the vast majority (95%) of secondtrimester abortions in the United States are performed
by dilation and evacuation (D&E); however, terminations by medical abortion may be underreported (10, 11).

Committee on Practice Bulletins—Gynecology. This Practice Bulletin was developed by the Committee on Practice Bulletins—Gynecology with the
assistance of Jody Steinauer, MD, Andrea Jackson, MD, and Daniel Grossman, MD. The Society of Family Planning and the Society of Maternal-Fetal
Medicine endorse this document. The information is designed to aid practitioners in making decisions about appropriate obstetric and gynecologic care.
These guidelines should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure. Variations in practice may be warranted based on the
needs of the individual patient, resources, and limitations unique to the institution or type of practice.

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OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

 In many areas of the United States, women have limited access to second-trimester abortion, in general, and
may not have the option to choose between D&E and
medical abortion. In a census of abortion providers,
64% reported offering some services after 12 weeks of
gestation, and only 23% reported providing abortions at
20 weeks of gestation and later (2). In another survey of
clinics providing second-trimester abortion, only 33%
offered medical abortion in addition to D&E (11). Some
women with fetal anomalies or medical complications of
pregnancy are directed toward medical abortion because
of a lack of skilled D&E providers nearby (12). Dilation
and evacuation training is not available in all residency
programs, and many residents trained in D&E have not
performed a sufficient number of procedures to achieve
competency in the technique (13–15). In order to help
ensure access to D&E, residency training programs
should offer integrated abortion training that includes
second-trimester D&E, and practicing obstetrician–
gynecologists should establish referral relationships with
skilled D&E providers.

Legal Issues
Induced abortion remains one of the most regulated
medical procedures in the United States. Although the
U.S. Supreme Court has determined that state bans on
abortion are unconstitutional, it has upheld many state
laws that make abortion services less accessible. These
laws include specific physician and hospital requirements, gestational age limits, restrictions on use of state
funds and private insurance, waiting periods, required
parental involvement, specialized facility requirements,
and mandatory information requirements (16). The federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 was upheld
by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 and imposes a
nationwide prohibition on what the act calls “partialbirth abortions.” Although “partial-birth abortion” is
not a medical term and is vaguely defined in the law,
physicians and lawyers have interpreted the banned
procedures as including intact D&E unless fetal demise
occurs before surgery. The act does not provide guidance about how physicians should comply with the act
or document compliance.
Physicians should be aware of relevant federal and
state abortion regulations so they can provide appropriate treatment for their patients. In 2011, 24 states passed
a total of 92 provisions restricting and regulating abortion (17). By the end of 2011, six states had banned all
abortions after 20 weeks of gestation based on concerns
related to fetal pain beyond this gestational age (16).
Medical evidence, however, suggests that fetal perception of pain may not occur until the third trimester
(18, 19).

VOL. 121, NO. 6, JUNE 2013 

Second-Trimester Abortion Procedures
Following the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v.
Wade, which established the legality of abortion in the
United States, the techniques of second-trimester abortion changed considerably. Over time, physicians began
using first-trimester techniques beyond the 12-week gestational age limit and developed the modern D&E procedure. By the late 1970s, researchers had documented the
safety of D&E and concluded that it was safer than the
medical abortion techniques used at the time (20).

Dilation and Evacuation
The D&E technique usually requires cervical preparation before the procedure and the use of grasping forceps
to remove the fetus. Cervical preparation is recommended
before D&E to decrease the risk of cervical trauma
(21). Cervical softening and dilation can be achieved by
placement of osmotic dilators before the procedure or
by the use of prostaglandin analogues, most commonly
misoprostol (22, 23). After achieving adequate dilation
and administering analgesia and sedation or anesthesia,
D&E is accomplished by aspirating the amniotic fluid
and removing the fetus with forceps through the cervix
and vaginal canal. Usually disarticulation (or dismemberment) occurs as the physician delivers the fetal part
grasped in the instrument and pulls it through the cervix.
A final suction curettage is often performed to ensure
that the uterus is completely evacuated.
Intact D&E is a variation of D&E that requires more
advanced cervical dilation, usually achieved over several
days. The procedure involves the removal of the intact
fetus except for possible decompression of the calvaria
(24). The intact D&E procedure is preferable in certain
cases, such as when preservation of fetal anatomy is
desired. Additionally, compared with D&E, the intact
D&E procedure may be associated with lower risks of
uterine perforation and infection because it minimizes
the use of forceps, and reduces the risk of retained fetal
tissue (25).

Medical Abortion
Second-trimester abortion also can be safely accomplished through medical induction or medical abortion.
Compared with D&E, termination by induction with
misoprostol is less cost-effective, is associated with a
greater risk of complications, such as incomplete abortion,
and may be prolonged (26–29). Medical abortion may be
preferred by some patients and providers for the termination of pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies,
genetic disorders, or maternal health issues (12). Modern
medical abortion methods include the use of one or more
of the following: prostaglandin analogues, mifepristone,

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Second-Trimester Abortion 1395

 osmotic cervical dilators, Foley catheters, and oxytocin
(30). Misoprostol, either alone or in combination with
other agents, is recommended over other instillation
agents and uterotonics because of its high efficacy, low
cost, and ease of use (Box 1).
Osmotic cervical dilators are sometimes used in
conjunction with pharmacologic uterotonic agents; however, osmotic dilators do not provide added benefit to
induction with prostaglandin analogues (31, 32).

Mifepristone followed in 24–48 hours by misoprostol is the most effective regimen for second-trimester
medical abortion, with up to 91% efficacy within 24
hours of initiation of misoprostol and with a significantly shorter induction interval and fewer adverse
effects than misoprostol alone (30, 33, 34). However,
mifepristone may not be available in all settings, and
misoprostol as a single agent is effective for medical
abortion (Box 1).

Abdominal Surgery
Box 1: Regimens for Second-Trimester
Medical Abortion ^
•  Mifepristone, 200 mg, administered orally, followed
in 24–48 hours by
— Misoprostol, 800 micrograms, administered  
vaginally, followed by 400 micrograms administered vaginally or sublingually every 3 hours for  
up to a maximum of five doses.*
— Misoprostol, 400 micrograms, administered  
buccally every 3 hours for up to a maximum of  
five doses also may be used.
•  If mifepristone is not available:
— Misoprostol, 400 micrograms, administered  
vaginally or sublingually every 3 hours for up  
to five doses.* Vaginal dosage is superior to  
sublingual dosage for nulliparous women.
— A vaginal loading dose of 600–800 micrograms  
of misoprostol followed by 400 micrograms  
administered vaginally or sublingually every  
3 hours may be more effective.
•  If misoprostol is not available:
— Oxytocin, 20–100 units, infused intravenously  
over 3 hours, followed by 1 hour without  
oxytocin to allow diuresis. Oxytocin dosage  
may be slowly increased to a maximum of  
300 units over 3 hours.†
*If the abortion is not complete after five doses, the woman may
be allowed to rest for 12 hours before starting the cycle again.
†
High-dose oxytocin is not commonly used in the second-trimester because of the inefficient response of the uterus to oxytocin
during this gestational period.
Data from Borgatta L, Kapp N. Clinical guidelines. Labor
induction abortion in the second trimester. Society of Family
Planning. Contraception 2011;84:4–18; Ashok PW, Templeton A,
Wagaarachchi PT, Flett GM. Midtrimester medical termination of
pregnancy: a review of 1002 consecutive cases. Contraception
2004;69:51–8; Kapp N, Borgatta L, Stubblefield P, Vragovic O,
Moreno N. Mifepristone in second-trimester medical abortion: a
randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2007;110:1304–10;
and Ngoc NT, Shochet T, Raghavan S, Blum J, Nga NT, Minh NT,
et al. Mifepristone and misoprostol compared with misoprostol
alone for second-trimester abortion: a randomized controlled
trial. Obstet Gynecol 2011;118:601–8.

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In rare instances, second-trimester abortion may be
performed by hysterectomy or hysterotomy. These procedures are associated with a much higher risk of complication than D&E or medical abortion and should only
be performed when the latter two procedures have failed
or are contraindicated (35).

Effecting Fetal Demise
No evidence currently supports the use of induced fetal
demise to increase the safety of second-trimester medical or surgical abortion. Techniques used to cause fetal
demise include division of the umbilical cord, intraamniotic or intrafetal digoxin injection, or fetal intracardiac potassium chloride injection. Some providers of
second-trimester surgical abortion use these methods to
ensure fetal demise before the procedure or because they
believe it facilitates D&E by causing maceration. A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that injection of 1 mg of intra-amniotic digoxin did not decrease
procedure time or provider-reported technical difficulty
or complications, but did increase vomiting (15). A retrospective cohort study found an increased complication rate
after digoxin use, including increased odds of infection
(odds ratio [OR], 5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7–
20.1), spontaneous abortion (OR, 6.9; 95% CI, 4.2–9.7),
and hospitalization (OR, 6.9; 95% CI, 4.2–9.7) compared
with controls that did not receive digoxin (36). However,
another study reporting on a large case series (37) found a
much lower rate of complications, including spontaneous
abortion (0.3%; 95% CI, 0.2–0.5%, compared with 1.9%
[36]) and infection (0.04%; 95% CI, 0–0.2%, compared
with 3.4% [36]). In its 2010 Clinical Guidelines on the
topic, the Society of Family Planning concluded that current evidence does not support the use of induced fetal
demise to improve the safety of D&E (38). With medical
abortion after 20 weeks of gestation, induced fetal demise
may be preferable to the woman or provider in order to
avoid transient fetal survival after expulsion. Based on
limited evidence, induced fetal demise before medical
abortion may shorten induction time (30).

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

 Complications
The mortality rate associated with abortion is low (0.6
per 100,000 legal, induced abortions), and the risk of
death associated with childbirth is approximately 14 times
higher than that with abortion (39, 40). Abortion-related
mortality increases with each week of gestation, with a
rate of 0.1 per 100,000 procedures at 8 weeks of gestation
or less, and 8.9 per 100,000 procedures at 21 weeks of
gestation or greater (41).
Rare complications associated with both D&E and
medical abortion include hemorrhage, cervical laceration, retained products of conception, and infection
(42–44). Uterine perforation can occur with D&E,
whereas uterine rupture can occur with medical abortion
(42–44).

Postabortion Hemorrhage
Although uncommon, postabortion hemorrhage is a
serious complication that must be promptly recognized
and managed. Because postabortion hemorrhage has
been defined differently in different studies, the Society
of Family Planning recently proposed a definition that
includes “both a clinical response to excessive bleeding, such as transfusion or admission, and/or bleeding in
excess of 500 mL” (45). Hemorrhage requiring transfusion occurs in 0.1–0.6% of D&E procedures and in 0.7%
of second-trimester medical abortions (21, 46–50). Risk
factors for hemorrhage include advanced maternal age,
insufficient cervical dilation, use of general anesthesia,
and a medical history of more than one cesarean delivery
(21, 51, 52). Reported etiologies of postabortion hemorrhage include retained products of conception, uterine
atony, cervical laceration, uterine perforation or rupture,
abnormal placentation, and disseminated intravascular
coagulopathy (DIC). One case series of postabortion
uterine artery embolization for refractory hemorrhage
identified the following etiologies: uterine atony (52%),
abnormal placentation (17%), cervical laceration (12%),
uterine perforation (7%), lower uterine segment bleeding
without atony (5%), and DIC (5%) (53).
Retained products of conception. Retained tissue or
incomplete abortion has been reported in less than 1% of
cases of D&E, but occurs in at least 8% of cases of medical abortion that involve use of the mifepristone regimen
(21, 46–50). In several cohort studies, incomplete abortion
was significantly more common after medical abortion with misoprostol compared with D&E (26–28, 54).
Uterine atony. Uterine atony, defined as hypocontractility of the uterine body and fundus, is a common cause
of hemorrhage. In a review of 3,000 D&E procedures,
uterine atony occurred in 2.6% of cases, and increased

VOL. 121, NO. 6, JUNE 2013 

patient age and increased gestational age were independent predictors of this complication (51). It also may be
increased in cases of prior cesarean delivery.
Cervical laceration. Cervical lacerations occur in up
to 3.3% of second-trimester abortion cases and have
been reported after both D&E and medical abortion
(26, 51, 55). Risk factors for cervical lacerations include
mechanical dilation, nulliparity, advanced gestational
age, and provider inexperience.
Uterine perforation. The frequency of uterine perforation in second-trimester surgical abortion has been
reported to be 0.2–0.5% (21, 46, 48, 49, 56, 57). Perforations are associated with advanced gestational age,
multiparity, and provider inexperience, and are less
likely to occur with adequate cervical preparation (58).
Severe pain or visualization of extrauterine tissue in the
vaginal field can alert the surgeon to a perforation. Brisk
bleeding is not common unless an artery is lacerated.
It always is important to consider bowel and bladder
injuries when perforation is suspected in the second
trimester. When a perforation is diagnosed before the
termination is complete, it may be necessary to finish
the abortion under direct visualization by laparotomy
or laparoscopy if the patient becomes hemodynamically
unstable. If the patient is stable, it may be possible to
complete the procedure under ultrasonographic guidance
or later, after initial management of the perforation.
Uterine rupture. Although uterine rupture associated
with medical abortion has been reported among women
with both scarred and unscarred uteri, the magnitude of
the risk of this complication is unknown (30). Uterine
rupture was reported in 1 patient in a series of 1,002 consecutive cases of second-trimester medical abortion (50).
In a systematic review of studies of second-trimester
induction abortion that included misoprostol, the risk of
uterine rupture in women with prior cesarean delivery
was 0.28% (95% CI, 0.08–1.00%), whereas the risk of
uterine rupture in women without prior cesarean delivery was 0.04% (95% CI, 0.01–0.20%) (59). Because the
risk of uterine rupture associated with prior cesarean
delivery is similar to the risk among women without a
prior cesarean delivery, guidelines support the safety of
misoprostol specifically and medical abortion generally
in women with one prior cesarean delivery (30, 60).
Abnormal placentation. Women with prior cesarean
deliveries are at an increased risk of placenta accreta and
warrant special attention (61), particularly if ultrasonography indicates a low-lying placenta or placenta previa.
When there is a suspicion of abnormal placentation,
D&E is the preferred abortion method, and preparations
should be made for possible hemorrhage by ensuring

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Second-Trimester Abortion 1397

 the procedure is performed at an appropriate facility with accessibility to blood products, interventional
radiology, and the capability to perform a hysterectomy
if necessary. Because the positive predictive value of
ultrasonography to diagnose placenta accreta may be as
low as 65%, preoperative uterine artery embolization
is not generally recommended (53, 62, 63). Although
the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging
is similar to ultrasonography for placenta accreta (63),
magnetic resonance imaging may be useful to confirm
accreta and identify patients who should be referred to a
tertiary care center that has interventional radiology and
surgical services immediately available.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation. Copious hemorrhage may result in coagulopathy, so the provider must
be prepared to manage DIC. In addition, when a patient
presents with a fetal demise in the second trimester,
she is at an increased risk of DIC (64). In the event of
persistent postabortion hemorrhage, blood should be
drawn and evaluated for hemoglobin, hematocrit, and
coagulation parameters. When the international normalized ratio is elevated or there is clinical suspicion for
coagulopathy, there should be a low threshold for the
administration of fresh frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate.
Infection. The prevalence of postabortion infection in
the second trimester has been reported to be 0.1–4%,
although this outcome has not been clearly defined in
all studies (21, 46–48, 50). Symptoms and signs usually arise within the first few days after the abortion,
and patients presenting with postabortion infection
should be evaluated for retained products of conception.
Ascending genital tract infections are polymicrobial
and should be treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic
regimen (65). Administration of prophylactic antibiotics
decreases the risk of infection after surgical abortion by
40% and, therefore, should be provided to all patients
undergoing D&E (66). Both tetracyclines and metronidazole provide significant and comparable protection
against postabortal pelvic inflammatory disease. One of
the most effective and inexpensive regimens is 100 mg
of doxycycline taken orally 1 hour before the abortion
followed by 200 mg after the procedure (67). Although
mild infection has been reported after medical abortion
(50), prophylactic antibiotics for second-trimester medical abortion currently are not recommended (68).
Embolism. The incidence of fatal and nonfatal pulmonary embolism is 10–20/100,000 abortions (69, 70).
Amniotic fluid embolism occurs in between 1 in 10,000
and 1 in 80,000 pregnancies, and when it occurs after
second-trimester abortion, it has a mortality rate of 80%
(70, 71).

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Clinical Considerations and
Recommendations
  What is the preferred procedure for secondtrimester abortion?
When comparing methods for second-trimester abortion,
providers should consider safety, effectiveness, cost, logistics, patient preference, and indication. Dilation and
evacuation is safe and effective and has advantages over
termination by medical abortion. The timing of D&E is
predictable, and although it may require preoperative outpatient visits for cervical preparation, the procedure usually is faster and may be more cost-effective than medical
abortion (72). Medical abortion or intact D&E may be
preferable when autopsy is desired. Intact D&E also
may be the preferred method when uterine instrumentation should be minimized, such as in the case of chorioamnionitis, or with certain fetal anomalies, such as severe
hydrocephalus, that may make extraction or delivery
difficult.
Dilation and evacuation is associated with fewer
complications (up to 4%) than medical abortion involving misoprostol regimens (up to 29%), with the most common complication of medical abortion being retained
placenta (21%) (26–28, 54). However, these results may
not be applicable to medical abortions involving mifepristone combined with misoprostol because randomized trials demonstrate that this regimen has faster times
to completion, decreased hospital time, and a lower risk
of retained placenta, compared with regimens with misoprostol used alone (33, 34). A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing outcomes of women undergoing
midtrimester abortion by D&E versus medical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol, reported fewer
adverse events, specifically less pain and gastrointestinal
adverse effects, in women undergoing D&E (29). This
trial failed to recruit its target sample size because most
potential study participants strongly preferred D&E
and declined to be randomized (29). Another randomized controlled trial from the United Kingdom found
that women assigned to D&E reported less pain and
were more likely to say they would opt for the same
procedure again compared with those who underwent
induction with mifepristone and misoprostol; overall
complications were similar between the two groups (73).
Regardless, medical abortion is the preferred method of
second-trimester abortion if a trained D&E provider is
not available.
Patient preference also should be taken into account.
Although some women may prefer medical abortion,
research has shown that many patients prefer D&E and

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

 consider it less emotionally challenging than induction
(12, 74). Indirect evidence suggests that women seek out
D&E services even when it causes significant delays in
abortion (5, 12).  

  What is the appropriate management of postabortion hemorrhage?
Management of postabortion hemorrhage consists of
developing a primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment
plan (45).
Primary Treatment
Primary treatment begins with an immediate visual and
digital cervical examination to assess for cervical lacerations, bimanual examination to assess uterine tone, and
ultrasonography to identify reaccumulation of blood or
retained tissue. Some clinicians use a cannula test, in
which an 8–10-mm cannula is inserted into the fundus
and slowly withdrawn, to distinguish lower uterine segment or high cervical bleeding from fundal bleeding due
to uterine atony.  
If atony is suspected, management includes prompt
uterine massage and administration of uterotonic agents.
Methylergonovine maleate is an appropriate first-line
uterotonic agent unless contraindicated, as in patients
with hypertension. Misoprostol is an effective agent in
the setting of postabortion hemorrhage, and doses of
800–1,000 micrograms are recommended. Although studies of misoprostol pharmacokinetics suggest that vaginal
administration achieves the highest peak concentration,
it is usually not feasible in the setting of hemorrhage
(75). Rectal administration is often used (especially if the
patient is intubated), but the Society of Family Planning’s
guidelines suggest that buccal or sublingual routes of
800–1,000 micrograms of misoprostol may be preferable
to rectal administration based on pharmacokinetic data
(45). Although often used, oxytocin may not be effective
because there are few oxytocin receptors in a uterus during the second trimester.
Secondary Treatment
If refractory or excessive bleeding occurs, secondary
treatment includes obtaining additional intravenous
access and administering fluid resuscitation. Further
assessment may include assessment of hemoglobin,
hematocrit, coagulation parameters, creatinine (in anticipation of possible uterine artery embolization), and
blood type and crossmatch for possible transfusion (if
not previously obtained). Blood and coagulation factors
should be available in the setting of hemorrhage because
DIC is possible.
If refractory bleeding is thought to be due to atony
or lower uterine segment bleeding, a Foley catheter or

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intrauterine balloon should be inserted to tamponade
the endometrial cavity. Both the Foley catheter (inflated
using 30 mL or 60 mL of saline) and the intrauterine
balloon (inflated using 120–250 mL of saline) have
been successfully used for postabortion hemorrhage (51,
76–78). Once the bleeding has stopped after tamponade
by the balloon and treatment with uterotonic agents, the
balloon can be removed.
Tertiary Treatment
For persistent refractory bleeding, tertiary treatment
methods include uterine artery embolization, laparoscopy, laparotomy, or hysterectomy. Uterine artery embolization for refractory hemorrhage has been described in
case series (53, 79, 80). In the largest series, intervention
with uterine artery embolization was 100% successful
in avoiding hysterectomy in cases due to atony, cervical
laceration, DIC, and lower uterine segment bleeding (53).
With suspected placenta accreta, uterine artery embolization was successful in 43% of cases (53). In general, in
a clinically stable patient, hysterectomy should only be
considered after other treatments have failed. Overall,
hysterectomies occur following 1.4/10,000 abortions in
the United States, with uterine perforation as the most
common cause (81).
If a cervical laceration is found, its extent should be
evaluated, and temporary measures of hemostasis, such as
application of direct pressure by ring forceps, should be
attempted. Minor abrasions can be treated with basic ferric
subsulfate solution or silver nitrate. Significant lacerations
of the cervix may require repair with absorbable sutures.
High cervical tears can be sutured or treated by applying
pressure with an intrauterine Foley catheter; sutures also
may be placed at the 3-o’clock position and the 9-o’clock
position on the cervix. If bleeding continues after repair of
a high cervical tear, a uterine artery laceration should be
considered as a possible etiology of hemorrhage. Targeted
uterine artery embolization can be attempted in such a
case (53, 79, 80), but if embolization is not possible, laparotomy may be required for stabilization.

  How can complications associated with
second-trimester abortion be prevented or
minimized?
Several measures can prevent and minimize complications from second-trimester abortion, including obtaining
a thorough medical history and performing a physical
examination to identify and manage risk factors for
complications, accurately dating pregnancy by ultrasonography, localizing the placenta (especially in women
with prior uterine surgery), and assessing preoperative
hemoglobin level and blood type. The use of vasopressin
in the paracervical block may decrease blood loss from

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Second-Trimester Abortion 1399

 D&E as reported in one randomized controlled trial (82).
For women with medical complications, consultations
with appropriate specialists can minimize risk. Women
with prior cesarean deliveries are at an increased risk
of abnormal placentation. Patients with placenta previa
and prior cesarean delivery who are past 14 weeks of
gestation should have focused imaging and counseling,
and if placenta accreta is suspected, they should be cared
for in a setting with access to resuscitative equipment
and personnel (45). Given that provider inexperience is
associated with a higher risk of complications with D&E,
training in the procedure is an important way to prevent
complications.
Insufficient cervical dilation has been associated
with an increased risk of hemorrhage and cervical laceration with D&E, and studies support routine cervical
preparation to decrease these risks (21, 23, 51). Cervical
dilation protocols for D&E vary according to gestational
age and include same-day preparation with misoprostol
or a hygroscopic cervical dilator, osmotic dilators placed
1 or more days before the procedure, or a combination
of misoprostol and osmotic dilators (11, 22, 23). Limited
data indicate mifepristone also can be used for cervical
preparation before D&E at 14–16 weeks of gestation,
although more research is needed (83).

  Is intraoperative ultrasonography necessary
in second-trimester abortion?
Real-time ultrasonographic guidance during D&E is not
used universally, and its utility depends on the training
level of the provider. A study comparing the rate of
uterine perforation before and after the adoption of intraoperative ultrasonography for second-trimester abortion
showed that its use in a training program significantly
decreased the risk of this complication (84). Although
intraoperative ultrasonography may be helpful, especially during training, its use is not required.

  Are there special considerations in the
management of second-trimester fetal demise
and termination for fetal anomalies?
Options for the management of second-trimester pregnancy termination for fetal anomalies and fetal demise
are similar to those for other indications and include D&E
and medical abortion. Dilation and evacuation is the preferred method because it is associated with a lower risk of
complications than medical induction (26, 27, 85); however, patient preference, the need for fetal autopsy, and
the availability of a skilled provider may influence this
decision (86). Although many obstetric providers believe
that women terminating a pregnancy for fetal anomalies
and fetal demise prefer induction of labor to D&E, this

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Second-Trimester Abortion 

may not be the case (12, 87). When allowed to undergo
the procedure of their choice, grief resolution appears to
be similar between women that choose D&E and those
that choose medical abortion for pregnancy termination
(88). Although autopsy for further diagnosis usually is not
needed in cases of a fetus with an abnormal karyotype, an
autopsy of an intact fetus may alter the final diagnosis and
patient counseling in some cases of structural malformations identified by ultrasound (89–92).

  What can be done to reduce delays that
contribute to second-trimester abortion?
A cross-sectional study of women presenting for abortion
in the second trimester at a large urban abortion clinic
found that it took these women an average of 3 weeks
longer to suspect they were pregnant than women who
presented in the first trimester, and more than one half
were already past the second trimester when they underwent pregnancy tests. In addition, logistic delays, including receiving inappropriate or delayed referrals and
difficulty in finding a provider, contributed to patients
presenting for second-trimester abortion, thus linking the
paucity of second-trimester providers to delay (5). Poor
women, African American women, and teenagers are
more likely to report delays in accessing abortion care
(5, 93, 94).
Interventions to improve and facilitate early identification of pregnancy should be encouraged, including
efforts to educate women about the signs and symptoms
of pregnancy. Strategies to increase access to early abortion services, such as increasing the number of clinicians
who provide either early aspiration or medical abortion
and expanding the use of telemedicine to provide early
medical abortion, might help reduce second-trimester
abortion (95). All physicians should facilitate timely
referrals for abortion care to reduce delays in accessing
services. In addition, state and federal abortion policies that restrict access to abortion services should be
repealed because they can contribute to delays in accessing care and higher morbidity rates (17).

  What contraceptive methods can be provided
after second-trimester abortion?
Approximately one half of the women seeking abortion
have had prior abortions and thus are at high risk of
repeat, unintended pregnancy (96). Women should initiate contraception immediately after an abortion because
ovulation can resume as early as 21 days after the procedure. Except for hysteroscopic sterilization, diaphragm,
or cervical cap, all forms of contraception can be considered after second-trimester abortion and initiated on the
day of the procedure (97–99).

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

 Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are highly effective
reversible forms of contraception that can be safely
placed immediately after abortion and decrease the rate
of repeat abortion (100–102). Immediate insertion of
IUDs after second-trimester D&E is associated with
higher adherence, lower pregnancy rates, and high patient
satisfaction compared with delayed insertion at the time
of a follow-up visit (103–105). Few trials examine expulsion rates of modern, T-shaped IUDs when placed
immediately after D&E; however, the expulsion rate
may be slightly higher than after interval placement. One
study that examined post-D&E insertion of the levonorgestrel IUD randomized women to either immediate or
delayed (3–6-week) insertion (104). All women in the
immediate-insertion group received IUDs, compared
with only 46% in the delayed-insertion group, primarily
because a sizeable proportion of women in the delayedinsertion group did not return for the insertion. At
6 months, the expulsion rate was not statistically different
between the immediate-insertion group (6.8%; 95% CI,
1.4%–18.7%) and the delayed-insertion group (5.0%;
95% CI, 0.1–24.9%). Another study that examined insertion of copper IUDs after D&E randomized women to
either immediate placement or delayed (2–4 weeks) placement (103). Although there was a trend toward increased
expulsion in the immediate-placement group (3.1%; 95%
CI, 0–8.0%) compared with the delayed-placement (0%)
group, this difference was not statistically significant.
In this study, women randomized to immediate placement were significantly more likely to have an IUD at
6 months compared with women randomized to delayed
placement (relative risk, 11.2; 95% CI, 5–26) (103). Other
reported complications, including pelvic inflammatory
disease and perforation, are rare and do not appear to
occur at higher rates with immediate postabortion insertion versus delayed postabortion insertion of IUDs (100,
105). No published studies report on IUD insertion
immediately after second-trimester medical induction,
but the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists endorses this practice (106).

  Mifepristone followed in 24–48 hours by misoprostol is the most effective regimen for second-trimester
medical abortion.

  Misoprostol as a single agent is effective for medical abortion.

  Administration of prophylactic antibiotics decreases
the risk of infection after surgical abortion and, therefore, should be provided to all patients undergoing
D&E.

  Except for hysteroscopic sterilization, diaphragm,
or cervical cap, all forms of contraception can be
considered after second-trimester abortion and initiated on the day of the procedure.

The following recommendations and conclusions
are based on limited or inconsistent scientific evidence (Level B):
  Dilation and evacuation is associated with fewer
complications than medical abortion involving
misoprostol regimens.

  When there is a suspicion of abnormal placentation,
D&E is the preferred abortion method, and preparations should be made for possible hemorrhage by
ensuring the procedure is performed at an appropriate facility with accessibility to blood products, interventional radiology, and the capability to perform a
hysterectomy if necessary.

  The use of vasopressin in the paracervical block may
decrease blood loss from D&E.

  Methylergonovine maleate is an appropriate first-line
uterotonic agent unless contraindicated, as in patients
with hypertension. Misoprostol is an effective agent
in the setting of postabortion hemorrhage, and doses
of 800–1,000 micrograms are recommended.

  If refractory bleeding is thought to be due to atony
or lower uterine segment bleeding, a Foley catheter
or intrauterine balloon should be inserted to tamponade the endometrial cavity.

  Because the risk of uterine rupture associated with

Summary of
Recommendations and
Conclusions

prior cesarean delivery is similar to the risk among
women without a prior cesarean delivery, guidelines
support the safety of misoprostol specifically and
medical abortion generally in women with one prior
cesarean delivery.

The following recommendations and conclusions
are based on good and consistent scientific evidence (Level A):

The following recommendations are based primarily on consensus and expert opinion (Level C):

  Cervical preparation is recommended before D&E

programs should offer integrated abortion training
that includes second-trimester D&E.

to decrease risk of cervical trauma.

VOL. 121, NO. 6, JUNE 2013 

  In order to ensure access to D&E, residency training

Practice Bulletin

Second-Trimester Abortion 1401

   All physicians should facilitate timely referrals for
abortion care to reduce delays in accessing services.

  Interventions to improve and facilitate early identification of pregnancy should be encouraged, including efforts to educate women about the signs and
symptoms of pregnancy.

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The MEDLINE database, the Cochrane Library, and the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’
own internal resources and documents were used to con­
duct a lit­er­a­ture search to lo­cate rel­e­vant ar­ti­cles pub­lished
be­tween January 1990–November 2012. The search was
re­
strict­
ed to ar­
ti­
cles pub­
lished in the English lan­
guage.
Pri­or­i­ty was given to articles re­port­ing results of orig­i­nal
re­search, although re­view ar­ti­cles and com­men­tar­ies also
were consulted. Ab­stracts of re­search pre­sent­ed at sym­po­
sia and sci­en­tif­ic con­fer­enc­es were not con­sid­ered adequate
for in­clu­sion in this doc­u­ment. Guide­lines pub­lished by
or­ga­ni­za­tions or in­sti­tu­tions such as the Na­tion­al In­sti­tutes
of Health and the Amer­i­can Col­lege of Ob­ste­tri­cians and
Gy­ne­col­o­gists were re­viewed, and ad­di­tion­al studies were
located by re­view­ing bib­liographies of identified articles.
When re­li­able research was not available, expert opinions
from ob­ste­tri­cian–gynecologists were used.
Studies were reviewed and evaluated for qual­i­ty ac­cord­ing
to the method outlined by the U.S. Pre­ven­tive Services
Task Force:
I  Evidence obtained from at least one prop­
er­
ly
de­signed randomized controlled trial.
II-1  Evidence obtained from well-designed con­
trolled
tri­als without randomization.
II-2  Evidence obtained from well-designed co­
hort or
case–control analytic studies, pref­er­ab­ ly from more
than one center or research group.
II-3  Evidence obtained from multiple time series with or
with­out the intervention. Dra­mat­ic re­sults in un­con­
trolled ex­per­i­ments also could be regarded as this
type of ev­i­dence.
III  Opinions of respected authorities, based on clin­i­cal
ex­pe­ri­ence, descriptive stud­ies, or re­ports of ex­pert
committees.
Based on the highest level of evidence found in the data,
recommendations are provided and grad­ed ac­cord­ing to the
following categories:
Level A—Recommendations are based on good and con­
sis­tent sci­en­tif­ic evidence.
Level B—Recommendations are based on limited or in­con­
sis­tent scientific evidence.
Level C—Recommendations are based primarily on con­
sen­sus and expert opinion.
Copyright June 2013 by the American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, posted
on the Internet, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or oth­erwise,
without prior written permission from the publisher.
Requests for authorization to make photocopies should be
directed to Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive,
Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
409 12th Street, SW, PO Box 96920, Washington, DC 20090-6920
Second-trimester abortion. Practice Bulletin No. 135. American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol 2013;121:1394–
1406.

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OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY