Vacuum aspiration, a technique that uses suction to extract contents of a pregnancy from the uterus, has been the preferred technology for first trimester abortion for over twenty years. However, until recently, most abortions were performed only in or after the seventh week of pregnancy, as providers were cautious about the possibility of incomplete abortion procedures and missed extra-uterine or ectopic procedures. Early pregnancy detection technologies and ultrasound make it possible for women who seek abortions to do so earlier in pregnancy. This efficacy is comparable to the effectiveness of vacuum aspiration using an electric pump. The most common side effects include abdominal cramping or pain and menstrual-like bleeding.
Major complications are rare.
The AGI survey also found that about 4,200 medical abortions were performed in 1996. Yet, there is a period of time between the earliest point at which a woman might determine that she is pregnant and when she can first obtain a surgical abortion. Nine in 10 abortions occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Although first-trimester surgical abortions are readily available in large urban areas, access to services is still a problem for many women. Greater options for very early abortion might ease other barriers to services, including those related to the distance they must travel to obtain services because of dwindling services outside metropolitan areas, and gestational limits.