Vacuum Aspiration: Abortion Treatment & Diagnosis

Types of Vacuum Aspiration

In vacuum aspiration, the uterine contents are extracted by the doctor using mild suction. Vacuum (or suction) aspiration can be done in two different ways.

• Manual vacuum aspiration(MVA). In this, suction is applied using a specialized syringe. A thin tube is inserted into the uterus. After that, a valve is released, creating suction to remove the tissue.
• Electric vacuum aspiration. In this, a thin tube connected to a pump is used. The tube is passed into the uterus, and the tissues are removed using suction.

Steps to Perform the MVA Procedure

How to Prepare?

Once your appointment has been scheduled, you will receive some instructions from the nurse or doctor.  

Your doctor might advise you to fast the night before the surgery. After the paperwork and other formalities are completed, some tests, such as physical examination, blood tests, pregnancy tests, and other tests, will be conducted. These tests will help in examining for anomalies of the uterus, fetus, or placenta. To evaluate and estimate the size and position of the uterus, some clinics or hospitals may only require a pelvic examination.

• The doctor may give some painkillers before the surgery for optimal results
• The patient may also be given preventative antibiotics, or therapeutic antibiotics if necessary, and may request the woman to empty her bladder
• The doctor may also examine signs of bleeding, infection, or incomplete abortion

What Happens During the Procedure?

• A tiny tube called a cannula is placed inside the uterus and attached to a suction source. This source may be a portable syringe or an electric pump. 
• After that, a speculum will be used to separate the vaginal walls. This will make the cervix visible. Although it’s not painful, the patient may experience some discomfort throughout this process. If you experience pain, ask your doctor to reposition the speculum. 
• The cervix is cleaned using an antiseptic solution. 
• To open the cervix and maintain it in the right position for the abortion, a tenaculum, a thin device with a long handle, is used. This may cause cramping, pain, and discomfort. Other medications may also be administered, which may cause a burning sensation.  
• Some women have reported that when medications are injected into the cervix, they usually experience ringing in their ears as well as tingling in their lips and tongues.  
• In order to expand the size, the stretch will be opened through eliminating and reintroducing. It is normal to experience some pressure and cramping during the cervix’s dilation.

Cervical dilatation usually takes less than two minutes to complete. The cervix is then used to implant the cannula into the uterus. If the doctor uses a suction machine, you will hear the machine humming while the tissue is being drawn out. The process with an electric or handheld vacuum just takes a few minutes. As the uterus contracts and releases the pregnancy tissue, some cramping and pain are normal. Squeezing the uterine blood vessels causes cramps that might be minor or severe. As soon as the cannula is taken out of the body, the pain stops. The completeness of the uterine tissue that has been removed is then examined. This is done to ensure there is no pregnancy tissue left in the uterus. 

After the Procedure

Upon completion of the procedure, the doctor or nurse will check on your well-being. You will be transferred to a room or sitting area to rest for a while. Most patients do not experience any sensations for a while after the treatment since they are given sedatives. It takes approximately an hour to recuperate after the treatment. The patient may then experience some discomfort, as the effects of the sedatives begin to neutralize. The patient is usually advised to rest for one or two days after the surgery.