Abortion by request in advanced maternal age: What changes in contraception?

Abstract

Overview and aim

Pregnancy at an advanced maternal age has become a reality. The acceptance rate of an unwanted pregnancy in this age group is lower, resulting in a higher proportion of pregnancy interruptions. This study aims to characterize abortion by request (AR) in advanced maternal age.

Methods

Descriptive study of AR requested by women aged 40 years old or older, over a period of six years, in an Obstetrics service of a Portuguese tertiary hospital. Descriptive data analysis was performed using SPSS® version 26.

Results

194 women were included in the study (n = 194), with a median age of 42 years, most of them Portuguese (94.3%) and with no history of performing AR (75.2%). The contraceptive methods used prior to AR were used oral contraception (47.0%) and barrier contraception (39.1%). Medical abortion was performed in the entire sample, with a success rate of 96.9%. After AR, intrauterine contraception (44.3%), oral contraception (22.7%) and the vaginal ring (7.2%) were the preferred contraceptive methods.

Discussion/Conclusions

Changes in women's health and contraceptive needs motivate new approaches and contraceptive strategies. After AR, a significant percentage of woman chose long-term and non-user-dependent methods. Particularly in women aged 40 or over, these methods, in addition to their highly effective and safe contraceptive role, may bring additional non-contraceptive benefits, namely the therapeutic effect in abnormal uterine bleeding.