Refining Paracervical Block Techniques for Pain Control in First Trimester Surgical Abortion

The PCB will consist of a total of 20 mL local anesthetic (18 mL of 1% lidocaine buffered with 2 mL sodium bicarbonate) injected with the following technique: 2 mL are injected at the tenaculum site, 12 o'clock, superficially into the cervix. The tenaculum is placed at 12 o'clock. The remaining 18 mL are injected paracervically (vaginal fornices) over sixty seconds. The injection, occurring in either two or four sites, is continuous from superficial to deep (3 cm) to superficial (injecting with insertion and withdrawal). It will be followed with either no wait or a three-minute wait period.