Auricular acupuncture improves pain in women undergoing first-trimester surgical abortion under local anaesthetic

Optimising pain control is a key focus of research into improving women’s experiences of a range of gynaecological procedures. This double-blind, three-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) of auricular acupuncture versus placebo versus standard care only has shown a significant reduction in pain and anxiety as rated using a visual analogue scale. Acupuncture was used as an adjunct to the standard analgesia regime of ibuprofen and paracervical block. This may be a simpler and safer alternative to sedation for more painful gynaecological procedures.

Contraception 2019; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2018.08.011

In Canada, women with schizophrenia are more likely to undergo induced abortion

Women with schizophrenia struggle to access all kinds of healthcare, including effective contraception. A population-based, serial cross-sectional study conducted between 2011 and 2013 in Ontario in Canada found that women with schizophrenia were 1.3 times more likely to have had an abortion than women without schizophrenia. This study highlights an unmet need in this population, and partnership working between mental health and reproductive health providers is essential …