Open AccessAn outpatient regimen of combined oral mifepristone 400 mg and misoprostol 400 µg for first‐trimester legal medical abortion
Author(s) -
Ravn Pernille,
Rasmussen Åse,
Knudsen Ulla Breth,
Kristiansen Frank Vous
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1111/j.0001-6349.2005.00868.x
Subject(s) - medicine , misoprostol , medical abortion , mifepristone , vomiting , abortion , nausea , obstetrics , vaginal bleeding , regimen , vacuum aspiration , outpatient clinic , incomplete abortion , pregnancy , gynecology , surgery , family planning , population , genetics , environmental health , research methodology , biology
Aim. To evaluate the success rate of medical abortion using an outpatient regimen of oral mifepristone 400 mg and oral misoprostol 400 µg for legal abortion in women < 56 days pregnant. Methods. Successful abortion was defined as an endometrial thickness < 20 mm evaluated by transvaginal ultrasound and minimal vaginal bleeding at a control examination performed 14 days after administration of misoprostol. Over a 6‐month period in 2003, a questionnaire (completion rate 70%) was used for a spot check of the patients' evaluation of the method. Results. Six hundred and sixty women underwent the procedure over a 3‐year period and 606 (92%) experienced successful medical abortion. The remaining 8% had vacuum aspiration performed mainly due to uterine retention (70%). Other reasons were vaginal bleeding (25%), vomiting (2%), or pelvic infection (4%). Most women reported no days with severe pain (67%), 0–1 days with moderate pain (82%), and 0–1 days with light pain (62%). In terms of gastrointestinal side effects, 68% reported nausea, 33% vomiting, and 27% diarrhea. Most women (90%) felt that the information given at the hospital prior to the abortion was sufficient, 74% would prefer medical abortion again in case of a future unwanted pregnancy, and 85% would prefer to abort at home again. Conclusion. A high acceptance and success rate was seen using this outpatient oral regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol.