Pain is often cited as one of the worst features of medication abortion, yet little is known about optimal pain management during the medication abortion process. Optimal pain management is important not only to improve quality of care for people undergoing medication abortion, but also to limit unnecessary clinical care visits that may result from inadequate pain management. ANSIRH is collaborating with researchers at the World Health Organization and in three countries, Nepal, Vietnam, and South Africa, to complete a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to identify effective methods for medication abortion pain control. The trial results will enable an evaluation of two prophylactic pain management regimens compared to use of pain medication as needed. Further details on the design of the trial are published here. Data collection is now complete, analyses are ongoing, and results are forthcoming. Also forthcoming are the results of a series of interviews that the research teams conducted with a subset of survey respondents in each country (both nulliparous and parous women) to better understand pain experiences.
Related Content
March 6, 2024
Experiences of delay-causing obstacles and mental health at the time of abortion seeking.
Wasser O, Ralph LJ, Kaller S, Biggs MA. Experiences of delay-causing obstacles and mental health at the time of abortion seeking.. Contraception: X. March 2024; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conx.2024.100105.
February 29, 2024
Abortion pills on TV: An exploratory study of the associations between abortion plotline viewership and beliefs regarding in-clinic and self-managed medication abortion
Herold S, Natalie Morris, MPH, Biggs MA, Schroeder R, Kaller S, Sisson G. Abortion pills on TV: An exploratory study of the associations between abortion plotline viewership and beliefs regarding in-clinic and self-managed medication abortion. Contraception. February 2024; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2024.110416.
February 27, 2024
Correcting the scientific record on abortion and mental health outcomes
Biggs MA, Foster DG, Rocca CH, Steinberg JR, Upadhyay UD. Correcting the scientific record on abortion and mental health outcomes. BMJ. February 2024; https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-076518.