Across Europe, women and pregnant people requiring second-trimester uterine evacuation face significant inequities in care. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends availability of both medical and surgical methods at all gestations, but surgical techniques like dilatation and evacuation (D&E) are inconsistently available. Many countries offer only medical induction, despite evidence confirming that surgical methods are safe, efficient, cost-effective, and often preferred by patients. This capacity gap compromises management of miscarriage, pregnancy termination (including for fetal anomaly or maternal health), and urgent pregnancy complications where timely uterine evacuation is critical. Lack of surgical training curricula, few mentorship opportunities, limited data collection, and low awareness all contribute to service disparities. There is currently no coordinated European effort to pool expertise or establish training frameworks.
The European network for Quality Uterine evacuation Integration and Professional training (EQUIP) COST Action establishes the first pan-European initiative to address these barriers. Four Working Groups will coordinate evidence synthesis, training, research capacity strengthening, and policy dialogue to map gaps, advance clinical competencies, expand collaborative research, and inform policy reform. EQUIP will unite healthcare professionals, researchers, patients, and advocates, including young researchers and innovators and participants across Europe to build lasting capacity and collaboration. Over the long term, the Action will increase the number of qualified healthcare professionals, reduce care disparities, align healthcare systems with WHO standards, and foster evidence-based curriculum and practice. It will also challenge stigma, strengthen public trust in evidence-based care, and cultivate the next generation of clinical and research leaders across Europe.
For more information and to join this COST Action, please see https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA25123/.