Laparoscopic sterilization after "spontaneous" abortion.

Abstract

One hundred eighty-nine patients were evaluated to assess the safety of laparoscopic sterilization after completion of a "spontaneous" abortion by curettage. Some of the "spontaneous" abortions had probably been illegally initiated outside the hospital and were septic. The laparoscopic sterilization procedures used tubal rings to achieve tubal occlusion. They were performed 4 to 48 hours after completion of the abortion. Patients were discharged from the hospital on the day the procedure was performed. Surgical difficulties and complications associated with the laparoscopy were infrequent. Undergoing a curettage prior to sterilization with tubal rings by laparoscopy did not appear to result in increased rates of complications.