Hypnotic analgesia intervention during first-trimester pregnancy termination: an open randomized trial

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether hypnotic analgesia can reduce the need for intravenous sedation analgesia without increasing pain and anxiety levels during abortion. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort of 350 women who were scheduled for surgical abortion (< 14 weeks' gestation) were assigned randomly to a standard care group or a group that received a standardized hypnotic analgesia intervention 20 minutes before and throughout the surgical procedure. Primary outcome was the difference between the 2 groups: (1) the proportion who received sedation (yes/no) during the surgical procedure and (2) self-assessments of pain and anxiety during suction evacuation of uterus content. RESULTS: Women who underwent hypnosis required less intravenous sedation analgesia (108/172 women; 63%) than the control group (149/175 women; 85%; P < .0001) and self-reported no difference in pain, but not in anxiety, levels during suction evacuation. CONCLUSION: Hypnotic interventions can be effective as an adjunct to pharmacologic management of acute pain during abortion.