Medical Abortion (medical + abortion)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


First trimester abortion with mifepristone and three doses of sublingual misoprostol: a pilot study

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
Kishor C. SINGH
Abstract Objective:, To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a medical abortion regimen with multiple doses of sublingual misoprostol 24 h after mifepristone. Methods:, The regimen was designed on the basis of pharmacokinetics of various routes of administration of misoprostol. Forty women 8 weeks' gestation were given mifepristone 200 mg orally, followed 24 h later by three doses of misoprostol 200 µgm sublingually 6 h apart. They were followed up on day 3 and day 14 with transvaginal ultrasound. Pain and bleeding were assessed using a visual analogue scale and acceptability, by a questionnaire. Results:, Abortion outcome was assessed in terms of onset of pain and vaginal bleeding, time of expulsion of products and duration of vaginal bleeding. Seventy-five per cent of women experienced pain within 2 h after first dose of misoprostol. Bleeding began at a mean of 1.41 h after pain and expulsion at a mean of 6.1 h after first dose of misoprostol. Complete expulsion was confirmed in all women (100%) by ultrasound on day 14. The longest duration of bleeding was 12 days (mean 7.2 days) with 87.5% bleeding for < 10 days. Acceptability was 100% but 70% perceived pain to be moderate and 67.5% bleeding to be light or slightly more than menses. Conclusions:, Medical abortion using three doses of sublingual misoprostol administered 24 h after mifepristone appears to be the most appropriate in terms of pharmacokinetics of the drugs. This pilot study associates the regimen with a short abortion process, which appears to be safe, highly efficacious and acceptable. [source]


Attitudes and Intentions of Future Health Care Providers Toward Abortion Provision

PERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, Issue 2 2004
Solmaz Shotorbani
CONTEXT: Induced abortion is one of the most common procedures performed among women in the United States. However, 87% of all counties had no abortion provider in 2000, and little is known about the attitudes and intentions of future health care providers, including advanced clinical practitioners, regarding abortion provision. METHODS: During March 2002, first- and second-year students in health sciences programs (i.e., medicine, physician assistant and nursing) at the University of Washington were anonymously surveyed. Univariate, bivariate and multi-variate analyses were used to determine students' attitudes and intentions regarding provision of abortion services. RESULTS: Of the 312 students who completed the survey, 70% supported the availability of legal abortion under any circumstances. Thirty-one percent intended to provide medical abortion in their practice, and 18% planned to offer surgical abortion. Fifty-two percent of all respondents agreed that advanced clinical practitioners should be able to provide medical abortion, and 37% agreed that they should be able to provide surgical abortion services; however, greater proportions of advanced clinical practitioners (45,83%) than of medical students (21,43%) expressed such support. Sixty-four percent of all respondents were willing to attend a program whose curriculum requires abortion training. CONCLUSIONS: Although it may not be possible to require abortion training for every future health care provider, making abortion a standard part of clinical training would provide opportunities for future physicians and advanced clinical practitioners, and would likely ameliorate the abortion provider shortage. [source]


Introduction of early medical abortion in New Zealand: An audit of the first 67 cases

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
Carol SHAND
Abstract Background:, In New Zealand, mifepristone became available in 2001, but because of uncertainty about the law, the first 67 cases were carried out under a very strict protocol. Once the prostaglandin had been administered it was necessary that the woman remain in the unit until the products of conception (POC) had been passed and, if this had not occurred within 8 h, she underwent suction curettage. Aims:, To demonstrate that an early medical termination of pregnancy (EMTOP) service could be offered as a safe option for women, despite the constraints of the law. Methods:, An audit of patient notes was carried out on the first 67 patients undergoing an EMTOP at the Level J Unit (LJU), Wellington Hospital. Data collected included age, ethnicity, parity, previous abortions, gestational age, length of time between the administration of mifepristone and misoprostol, length of time after administration of misoprostol to the completion of abortion, whether a fetal sac was seen, analgesia required, extent of heavy bleeding and any adverse effects. Patient characteristics were compared with those of the 3052 women who underwent surgical termination during the same time period. Data were analysed using EpiInfo 2000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA) and Chi square tests for significance. Results:, Successful completion of EMTOP occurred in 63 of 67 cases (94%). Only four cases (6%) required completion by suction curettage and this was performed for legal and financial reasons, rather than for medical reasons. Clinical events requiring management, mainly bleeding problems, occurred in 11 patients (16%). Conclusions:, EMTOP with mifepristone and misoprostol was successfully introduced and the experience provides useful data for others contemplating a similar service. [source]


Randomised controlled trial comparing the efficacy of same-day administration of mifepristone and misoprostol for termination of pregnancy with the standard 36 to 48 hour protocol

BJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
J Guest
Objective, To determine the efficacy of oral mifepristone followed by vaginal misoprostol 6 hours later compared with the standard 36- to 48-hour regimen for medical termination of pregnancy. Design, Single centre, two arm, parallel, open randomised controlled trial. Setting, Medical termination service at a teaching hospital. Sample, Four hundred and fifty women undergoing medical termination of pregnancy at up to 63 days of gestation. Methods, Eligible women were randomised to receive mifepristone 200 mg orally followed by vaginal misoprostol 800 micrograms either 6 hours (n= 225) or 36,48 hours (n= 225) later. All participants were invited to attend for a follow-up pelvic ultrasound scan within 7 days following the misoprostol administration. For those women in whom products of conception remained at the follow-up ultrasound scan, expectant management ensued with weekly follow-up ultrasound scans until the termination was complete. They could elect to undergo an evacuation of uterus at any stage following the scan. Those women with a nonviable gestation sac at the follow-up scan were offered a further dose of vaginal misoprostol 800 micrograms or suction termination of pregnancy. Women with a continuing pregnancy were managed with surgical termination. Main outcome measure, Successful medical abortion defined as no requirement for medical or surgical intervention beyond the initial dose of misoprostol. Results, One hundred and sixty-five women (79%) in the 6-hour group and 197 women (92%) in the 36- to 48-hour group had a successful termination at first follow-up ultrasound or presumed on the basis of other considerations (those not seen for ultrasound but deemed successful by negative pregnancy test, products passed on ward or long-term assessment of notes). Twenty-two women (10%) in the 6-hour regimen required up to three further ultrasound scans after 7 days following the mifepristone administration in order to ensure that the termination process was complete. None of these women required a suction evacuation of uterus. In the 36- to 48-hour regimen, ten (5%) women had up to two further ultrasound scans to confirm a complete termination without the need for a surgical evacuation of uterus. Therefore, the overall successful termination rate in the 6-hour regimen was 89% (187/210) compared with 96% (207/215) in the 36- to 48-hour regimen (relative risk = 0.92, 95% CI 0.84,0.98). Repeat administration of misoprostol or surgical treatment was required in 23 women (11%) in the 6-hour group and 8 women (4%) in the 36- to 48-hour group. A viable pregnancy was found in five women (2%) in the 6-hour group and in three women (1%) in the 36- to 48-hour group. Conclusions, Oral mifepristone 200 mg followed by vaginal misoprostol 800 micrograms after 6 hours is not as effective at achieving a complete abortion compared with the 36- to 48-hour protocol. [source]