Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Complications related to ind uced abortion: A combined retrospective and longitudinal  
follow -up study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 19 Nov 2017  
 
Reviewer: Glen Mola  
 
Reviewer's report:  
It is not clear in the methodology exactly what the clients who underwent home based medical 
TOP were told to expect and what they were expected to do.  ie a woman should expect heavy 
bleeding 4 -12 hours after taking of the Misoprostol; then she should exp ect bleeding similar to a 
heavy period for the next 2 -5 days.  Significant bleeding after 7 days requires follow up and 
gynaecological evaluation. A statement that women were advised to attend if they 'experienced 
heavy or long standing bleeding' is not sp ecific enough. Clear explanation of the instructions to 
clients should be explained.  Excessive bleeding is only the case if the client experiences 
bleeding in excess, or of longer duration than the protocol indicates is expected. IN this context 
"Only hea vy bleeding right next to the abortion" could indicate that women were classified as 
having abnormal bleeding, then in fact this is exactly what they should expect 4 -12 hours after 
they receive the Misoprostol.  
'If any residues are found in the uterus by t he ultrasound, a vacuum curettage will be performed'. 
should read If any significant evidence of retained products of conception were detected on 
ultrasound scan, vacuum curettage was scheduled.  
 
There are several instances of non -standard English usage, e g. Length of pregnancy (rather than 
Duration or gestation of pregnancy): 'a revisit at the midwife' - should read a revisit by the 
midwife,      
Some verb tenses at in correct; eg.  'All data is retrospectively registered', should read was 
registered. "Each  one of the women was", should read Each of the women were.....  
"women who comes" is used several times (pages 5 and 6), it should read women who come........  
"Medial abortion; should read medical abortion.  
Page 12 "was not discovered after the 18th week',  should read until the 18th week.  
There is unnecessary repetition of results information in the Discussion section.  
The failure of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent all post abortal infections is blamed entirely on 
the fact that there may be some other bacteria causing infections that were not tested for: 
however, bacterial resistance could also be playing a role here.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
No 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
No 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I am able to assess the statistics  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript : 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in  any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to t he content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing intere sts' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
I declare that I have no competing interests  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manus cript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be  published.  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal