Recommendations for research

The guideline committee has made the following recommendations for research.

Key recommendations for research

1 Antibiotic prophylaxis for surgical abortion

What is the optimal antibiotic prophylaxis regimen for women who are having a surgical abortion?

To find out why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on preventing infection.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review D: antibiotic prophylaxis for medical and surgical abortion.

2 Cervical priming before surgical abortion

What are the most effective and acceptable methods of cervical priming before dilatation and evacuation after 16+0 weeks' gestation?

To find out why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on cervical priming before surgical abortion.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review M: cervical priming before surgical abortion.

3 Anti-D prophylaxis for surgical abortion

Should women having a surgical abortion up to and including 10+0 weeks' gestation have anti-D prophylaxis if they are RhD (or D) negative?

To find out why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on anti-D prophylaxis for surgical abortion.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review C: anti-D prophylaxis for women up to 13+6 weeks' gestation.

4 Expulsion at home for medical abortion

For women who are having medical abortion between 10+1 and 12+0 weeks, what is the efficacy and acceptability of expulsion at home compared with expulsion in a clinical setting?

To find out why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on expulsion at home for medical abortion between 10+1 and 12+0 weeks.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review G: expulsion at home for early medical abortion.

5 Anaesthesia and sedation for surgical abortion

What local anaesthetic techniques are most effective for women having surgical abortion?

To find out why the committee made the recommendations and how they might affect services, see the rationale section on anaesthesia and sedation for surgical abortion.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review M: cervical priming before surgical abortion.

Other recommendations for research

Medical abortion after 23+6 weeks

What is the effectiveness and safety of regimens using mifepristone and misoprostol for women who are having medical abortion after 23+6 weeks' gestation, particularly for those who have had a previous caesarean section or uterine surgery?

Anaesthesia and sedation for surgical abortion

What is the optimal regimen for general anaesthesia for women having surgical abortion?

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)