A qualitative study of digoxin injection before dilation and evacuation

作者：McNamara Blair^*; Russo Jennefer; Chaiken Sarina; Jacobson Janet; Kerns Jennifer

来源：Contraception, 2018, 97(6): 515-519.

DOI：10.1016/j.contraception.2018.02.004

• Digoxin
• Dilation and evacuation
• Abortion
• Second-trimester abortion
• Feticidal injection
• Shared decision-making

Objective: We sought to qualitatively understand patients' experiences with digoxin as a step before dilation and evacuation (D&E).
Study design: We recruited English-speaking women from one abortion health center where digoxin is routinely used before D&E. We interviewed participants one to three weeks after the D&E about physical and emotional experiences with digoxin and understanding of its purpose. Using grounded theory, we analyzed transcripts iteratively, identifying themes from interviews; we stopped recruitment when we reached thematic saturation.
Results: We conducted 20 interviews and participants described mixed experiences. Three overarching themes from the qualitative interviews were: (1) physical and emotional discomfort; (2) varied understanding of digoxin's purpose and effects; and (3) reassurance. Most participants described significantly negative experiences with digoxin; however, many participants also described positive aspects of the injection intermingled with those negative experiences.
Conclusions: Participants' experiences with digoxin before D&E were both polarized and nuanced. While participants were largely clear about digoxin's action, they were much less clear about the reason for its use.

• 出版日期2018-6