Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Auricular Point Acupressure Therapy: A Safe and Effective Treatment for Postsurgical Abortion Recovery
Published on: February 3, 2026
Vacuum aspiration for induced abortion could be safely and legally performed by nurses and midwives
Sally Sheldon1, Joanne Fletcher2
1Professor of Law Kent Law School, Eliot College, Kent University, Canterbury, UK.
Background:
Some 40% of abortions carried out in England and Wales are done by vacuum aspiration. It is widely assumed that, in order to be lawful, these procedures must be performed by doctors.
Aim And Design:
This study aimed to provide a detailed reassessment of the relevant law and the clinical evidence that supports this assumption.
Conclusions:
A close reading of relevant law reveals that this assumption is unfounded. On the contrary, it would be lawful for appropriately trained nurses or midwives, acting as part of a multidisciplinary team, to carry out vacuum aspiration procedures. This interpretation of the law offers the potential for developing more streamlined, cost-effective abortion services, which would be both safe and highly acceptable to patients.
Related Concept Videos
Suctioning the Nasopharyngeal Airway
Equipment Required
Suctioning the Oropharyngeal Airway
After assembling the equipment, the nurse should practice hand hygiene and don appropriate PPE according to infection control guidelines to avoid the...
Endoscopic Studies II: Thoracocentesis
Description
Excess pleural fluid or air may accumulate in some respiratory disorders in the thoracic cavity. To treat pleural effusion, a physician conducts thoracentesis by carefully piercing the chest wall and entering...
Tracheostomy Suctioning II: Procedure

