Risk factors in first-trimester abortion

Among 238 women who underwent first-trimester abortion and who were randomized to the placebo group in a clinical controlled trial we studied the possible correlation of the variables age, parity, number of previous spontaneous and induced abortions, previous pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), gestational age, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, social status, and the application of an intrauterine device (IUD) at abortion - to the number of days with pain, bleeding, discharge, fever, absence from work, and day of first coitus after abortion. The ANOVA test of Kruskal-Wallis with the limit of significance p less than 0.05 was employed. Women with one or more previous spontaneous abortions had significantly more days with postabortive bleeding (p = 0.010). Women with previous PID and women with dysmenorrhea had significantly more days with pain after abortion (p = 0.011 and p = 0.001). Women at a gestational age of 11-12 weeks had significantly more days with fever (p = 0.009). Women who had an IUD inserted at abortion suffered more days with pain and bleeding (p = 0.038 and p = 0.043). No one group of women carried a risk of several severe complaints after abortion except those with a history of PID.