Ultrasonic diagnosis and mini-abortions
Doucha, J.; Merhaut, Z.
Ceskoslovenska Gynekologie 49(7): 481-484
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0374-6852 PMID: 6386193 Document Number: 231165
The TOSHIBA SAL 22A ultrasound machine has been in use at the Gynecological and Obstetrics Department of the District and Regional Institute of National Health in Rakovnik, Czechoslovakia since 1981 for early ultrasound detections of pregnancies for the purpose of mini-abortion. With its resolution at 5-6 weeks after onset of amenorrhea, it is better than the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) test in preparing for mini-abortions because it shows objective proof of intrauterine gravidity with direct viewing of the amniotic cavity and the fertilized egg, while affording the possibility of photodocumenting the pregnancy. This eliminates the need for and the cost of histological tests, which are the only means of objective determination with the HCG test. Ultrasound diagnosis measures the diameter of the fetus and the real term of pregnancy, which allows selection of a suitable form of aspiration curettage while eliminating excessive amenorrhea in the mother's case history. Objective ultrasound determinations eliminate the infrequent but real danger of pathology to the trophoblast, arising from a lack of development in the fertilized egg, in mini-abortions performed on the basis of HCG testing. In addition to the economic advantages of the ultrasound diagnostic test over the HCG test, the former is more suitable because any negative or ambiguous findings lead to further examination of the patient, thus ruling out the possibility of overlooking ectopic pregnancy and obviating the one drawback of this type of diagnosis, i.e. a false negative finding. Though the result is termination of pregnancy 1 week later than otherwise, this effect is benign compared to the needless intrauterine intervention in the case of a false negative finding in the HCG test.