Manual vacuum aspiration (or MVA) is a form of Suction-aspiration abortion using a single-valve syringe.

MVA is typically used for pregnancies between 3 to 7 weeks after the patient's last menstrual cycle. It is the only surgical method of abortion available before the sixth week of pregnancy. The procedure usually takes 10 minutes, and involves inserting a small tube attached to a specialized syringe through the cervix for the purpose of emptying the tissue from the uterus.

The procedure is 98% effective, and the rate of infection is the lowest out of any other surgical abortion at 0.5%.

References

1. Baird, Traci L. and Flinn, Susan K. (2001) Manual Vacuum Aspiration: Expanding women's access to safe abortions services Retrieved 2006-02-18.

External link

• Detailed description from World Health Organization, written for medical professionals

Forms of abortion