Pregnancy outcomes following second-trimester abortions: A comparison between medical and surgical management. A historic cohort study.

Objective: To compare perinatal outcomes in subsequent pregnancies following second-trimester abortions, stratified by the method of abortion.

Methods: A historic cohort study was conducted in a single tertiary hospital, including women who had second-trimester abortions between 12⁺⁰ and 24⁺⁰ weeks and subsequent documented pregnancies within 3-60 months. Data were collected from hospitalization and perinatal databases. Composite outcome variables were constructed, and multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze associations, adjusting for confounders.

Results: Among 771 women meeting the inclusion criteria, 83% had surgical abortions and 17% had medical abortions. Medical abortion was associated with a higher incidence of placenta-associated pregnancy complications compared with surgical abortion. No significant differences were found in other perinatal outcomes.

Conclusion: The study highlights the potential influence of the abortion method on subsequent pregnancy outcomes, particularly regarding placenta-associated complications. This underscores the importance of considering the method of second-trimester abortion in counseling women regarding potential risks to subsequent pregnancies. Adverse outcomes in subsequent pregnancies following second-trimester abortion were associated with the medical method of abortion, warranting further research and careful counseling in clinical practice.