WHO multinational study of three misoprostol regimens after mifepristone for early medical abortion

Assessing the Accuracy of Information on Medication Abortion: A Comparative Analysis of ChatGPT and Google Bard AI

Background and objective ChatGPT and Google Bard AI are widely used conversational chatbots, even in healthcare. While they have several strengths, they can generate seemingly correct but erroneous responses, warranting caution in medical contexts. In an era where access to abortion care is diminishing, patients may increasingly rely on online resources and AI-driven language models for information on medication abortions. In light of this, this study aimed to compare the accuracy and comprehensiveness of responses generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and Google Bard AI to medical queries about medication abortions. Methods Fourteen open-ended questions about medication abortion were formulated based on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from the National Abortion Federation (NAF) and the Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) websites. These questions were answered using ChatGPT version 3.5 and Google Bard AI on October 7, 2023. The accuracy of the responses was analyzed by cross-referencing the generated answers against the information provided by NAF and RHAP. Any discrepancies were further verified against the guidelines from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). A rating scale used by Johnson et al. was employed for assessment, utilizing a 6-point Likert scale [ranging from 1 (completely incorrect) to 6 (correct)] to evaluate accuracy and a 3-point scale [ranging from 1 (incomplete) to 3 (comprehensive)] to assess completeness. Questions that did not yield answers were assigned a score of 0 and omitted from the correlation analysis. Data analysis and visualization were done using R Software version 4.3.1. Statistical significance was determined by employing Spearman's R and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results All questions were entered sequentially into both chatbots by the same author. On the initial attempt, ChatGPT successfully generated relevant responses for all questions, while Google Bard AI failed to provide answers for five questions. Repeating the same question in Google Bard AI yielded an answer for one; two were answered with different phrasing; and two remained unanswered despite rephrasing. ChatGPT showed a median accuracy score of 5 (mean: 5.26, SD: 0.73) and a median completeness score of 3 (mean: 2.57, SD: 0.51). It showed the highest accuracy score in six responses and the highest completeness score in eight responses. In contrast, Google Bard AI had a median accuracy score of 5 (mean: 4.5, SD: 2.03) and a median completeness score of 2 (mean: 2.14, SD: 1.03). It achieved the highest accuracy score in five responses and the highest completeness score in six responses. Spearman's correlation coefficient revealed no correlation between accuracy and completeness for ChatGPT (rs = -0.46771, p = 0.09171). However, Google Bard AI showed a marginally significant correlation (rs = 0.5738, p = 0.05108). Mann-Whitney U test indicated no statistically significant differences between ChatGPT and Google Bard AI concerning accuracy (U = 82, p>0.05) or completeness (U = 78, p>0.05). Conclusion While both chatbots showed similar levels of accuracy, minor errors were noted, pertaining to finer aspects that demand specialized knowledge of abortion care. This could explain the lack of a significant correlation between accuracy and completeness. Ultimately, AI-driven language models have the potential to provide information on medication abortions, but there is a need for continual refinement and oversight.

Combination of Mifepristone and Misoprostol for First-Trimester Medical Abortion: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Importance

Several medications have been used to achieve medical abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. The most commonly used is the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol; however, different doses and routes of administration have been proposed.

Objective

The aim of this study was to summarize published data on the effectiveness, adverse effects, and acceptability of the various combinations of mifepristone and misoprostol in medical abortion protocols in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Evidence Acquisition

This was a comprehensive review, synthesizing the findings of the literature on the current use of mifepristone and misoprostol for first-trimester abortion.

Results

The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol seems to be more effective than misoprostol alone. Regarding the dosages and routes, mifepristone is administered orally, and the optimal dose is 200 mg. The route of administration of misoprostol varies; the sublingual and buccal routes are more effective; however, the vaginal route (800 μg) is associated with fewer adverse effects. Finally, the acceptability rates did not differ significantly.

Conclusions

Different schemes for first-trimester medical abortion have been described so far. Future research needs to focus on identifying the method that offers the best trade-off between efficacy and safety in first-trimester medical abortion.

Post-abortion Complications: A Narrative Review for Emergency Clinicians

An abortion is a procedure defined by termination of pregnancy, most commonly performed in the first or second trimester. There are several means of classification, but the most important includes whether the abortion was maternally “safe” (performed in a safe, clean environment with experienced providers and no legal restrictions) or “unsafe” (performed with hazardous materials and techniques, by person without the needed skills, or in an environment where minimal medical standards are not met). Complication rates depend on the procedure type, gestational age, patient comorbidities, clinician experience, and most importantly, whether the abortion is safe or unsafe. Safe abortions have significantly lower complication rates compared to unsafe abortions. Complications include bleeding, retained products of conception, retained cervical dilator, uterine perforation, amniotic fluid embolism, misoprostol toxicity, and endometritis. Mortality rates for safe abortions are less than 0.2%, compared to unsafe abortion rates that range between 4.7-13.2%. History and physical examination are integral components in recognizing complications of safe and unsafe abortions, with management dependent upon the diagnosis. This narrative review provides a focused overview of post-abortion complications for emergency clinicians.

Medical methods for first trimester abortion

BACKGROUND

Medical abortion became an alternative method of pregnancy termination following the development of prostaglandins and antiprogesterone in the 1970s and 1980s. Recently, synthesis inhibitors of oestrogen (such as letrozole) have also been used to enhance efficacy. The most widely researched drugs are prostaglandins (such as misoprostol, which has a strong uterotonic effect), mifepristone, mifepristone with prostaglandins, and letrozole with prostaglandins. More evidence is needed to identify the best dosage, regimen, and route of administration to optimise patient outcomes. This is an update of a review last published in 2011.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effectiveness and side effects of different medical methods for first trimester abortion.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, and LILACs on 28 February 2021. We also searched Clinicaltrials.gov and the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and reference lists of retrieved papers.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared different medical methods for abortion before the 12th week of gestation. The primary outcome is failure to achieve complete abortion. Secondary outcomes are mortality, surgical evacuation, ongoing pregnancy at follow-up, time until passing of conceptus, blood transfusion, side effects and women's dissatisfaction with the method.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently selected and evaluated studies for inclusion, and assessed the risk of bias. We processed data using Review Manager 5 software. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 99 studies in the review (58 from the original review and 41 new studies). 1. Combined regimen mifepristone/prostaglandin Mifepristone dose: high-dose (600 mg) compared to low-dose (200 mg) mifepristone probably has similar effectiveness in achieving complete abortion (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.33; I2 = 0%; 4 RCTs, 3494 women; moderate-certainty evidence). Prostaglandin dose: 800 µg misoprostol probably reduces abortion failure compared to 400 µg (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.78; I2= 0%; 3 RCTs, 4424 women; moderate-certainty evidence). Prostaglandin timing: misoprostol administered on day one probably achieves more success on complete abortion than on day three (RR 1.94, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.58; 1489 women; 1 RCT; moderate-certainty evidence). Administration strategy: there may be no difference in failure of complete abortion with self-administration at home compared with hospital administration (RR 1.63, 95% CI 0.68 to 3.94; I2 = 84%; 2263 women; 4 RCTs; low-certainty evidence), but failure may be higher when administered by nurses in hospital compared to by doctors in hospital (RR 2.69, 95% CI 1.39 to 5.22; I2 = 66%; 3 RCTs, 3056 women; low-certainty evidence). Administration route: oral misoprostol probably leads to more failures than the vaginal route (RR 2.38, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.87; I2 = 39%; 3 RCTs, 1704 women; moderate-certainty evidence) and may be associated with more frequent side effects such as nausea (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.26; I2 = 0%; 2 RCTs, 1380 women; low-certainty evidence) and diarrhoea (RR 1.80 95% CI 1.49 to 2.17; I2 = 0%; 2 RCTs, 1379 women). Compared with the vaginal route, complete abortion failure is probably lower with sublingual (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.22 to 2.11; I2 = 59%; 2 RCTs, 3229 women; moderate-certainty evidence) and may be lower with buccal administration (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.46; I2 = 0%; 2 RCTs, 479 women; low-certainty evidence), but sublingual or buccal routes may lead to more side effects. Women may experience more vomiting with sublingual compared to buccal administration (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.77; low-certainty evidence). 2. Mifepristone alone versus combined regimen The efficacy of mifepristone alone in achieving complete abortion compared to combined mifepristone/prostaglandin up to 12 weeks is unclear (RR of failure 3.25, 95% CI 0.81 to 13.09; I2 = 83%; 3 RCTs, 273 women; very low-certainty evidence). 3. Prostaglandin alone versus combined regimen Nineteen studies compared prostaglandin alone to a combined regimen (prostaglandin combined with mifepristone, letrozole, estradiol valerate, tamoxifen, or methotrexate). Compared to any of the combination regimens, misoprostol alone may increase the risk for failure to achieve complete abortion (RR of failure 2.39, 95% CI 1.89 to 3.02; I2 = 64%; 18 RCTs, 3471 women; low-certainty evidence), and with more diarrhoea. 4. Prostaglandin alone (route of administration) Oral misoprostol alone may lead to more failures in complete abortion than the vaginal route (RR 3.68, 95% CI 1.56 to 8.71, 2 RCTs, 216 women; low-certainty evidence). Failure to achieve complete abortion may be slightly reduced with sublingual compared with vaginal (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.37 to 1.28; I2 = 87%; 5 RCTs, 2705 women; low-certainty evidence) and oral administration (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.11 to 2.99; I2 = 66%; 2 RCTs, 173 women). Failure to achieve complete abortion may be similar or slightly higher with sublingual administration compared to buccal administration (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.74; 1 study, 401 women).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Safe and effective medical abortion methods are available. Combined regimens (prostaglandin combined with mifepristone, letrozole, estradiol valerate, tamoxifen, or methotrexate) may be more effective than single agents (prostaglandin alone or mifepristone alone). In the combined regimen, the dose of mifepristone can probably be lowered to 200 mg without significantly decreasing effectiveness. Vaginal misoprostol is probably more effective than oral administration, and may have fewer side effects than sublingual or buccal. Some results are limited by the small numbers of participants on which they are based. Almost all studies were conducted in settings with good access to emergency services, which may limit the generalisability of these results.

Management of Postabortion Complications for the Emergency Medicine Clinician

Although induced abortion is generally a safe outpatient procedure, many patients subsequently present to the emergency department, concerned about a postabortion complication. It is helpful for emergency physicians to understand the medications and procedures used in abortion care in the United States to effectively and efficiently triage and treat women presenting with potential complications from an abortion. Furthermore, because many states are experiencing increased abortion restrictions that limit access to care, emergency medicine physicians may encounter more patients presenting after self-managed abortions, which presents additional challenges. This article reviews the epidemiology and background of abortion care, including the range of symptoms and adverse effects that are within the scope of an uncomplicated procedure. This review also offers a comprehensive overview of management of abortion complications, including algorithms for more common complications and descriptions of less common but more severe adverse events. The article concludes with a recognition of the social stigma and legal regulations unique to abortion care.

Medication Abortion Up to 70 Days of Gestation

Medication abortion, also referred to as medical abortion, is a safe and effective method of providing abortion. Medication abortion involves the use of medicines rather than uterine aspiration to induce an abortion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication abortion regimen includes mifepristone and misoprostol. The purpose of this document is to provide updated evidence-based guidance on the provision of medication abortion up to 70 days (or 10 weeks) of gestation. Information about medication abortion after 70 days of gestation is provided in other ACOG publications [1].

DRUGPATH: The Drug Gene Pathway Meta-Database

The complexity of modern-day diseases often requires drug treatment therapies consisting of multiple pharmaceutical interventions, which can lead to adverse drug reactions for patients. A priori prediction of these reactions would not only improve the quality of life for patients but also save both time and money in regards to pharmaceutical research. Consequently, the drug-gene-pathway (DRUGPATH) meta-database was developed to map known interactions between drugs, genes, and pathways among other information in order to easily identify potential adverse drug events. DRUGPATH utilizes expert-curated sources such as PharmGKB, DrugBank, and the FDA's NDC database to identify known as well as previously unknown/overlooked relationships, and currently contains 12,940 unique drugs, 3933 unique pathways, 5185 unique targets, and 3662 unique genes. Moreover, there are 59,561 unique drug-gene interactions, 77,808 unique gene-pathway interactions, and over 1 million unique drug-pathway interactions.

Systematic Review of the Effectiveness, Safety, and Acceptability of Mifepristone and Misoprostol for Medical Abortion in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

OBJECTIVE

Abortion-related complications remain one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nearly half of all abortions are unsafe, and the vast majority of these occur in low- and middle-income countries. The use of mifepristone with misoprostol for medical abortion has been proposed and implemented to improve abortion safety.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic review of the literature was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL.

STUDY SELECTION

Criteria for study inclusion were first-trimester abortion, use of mifepristone with misoprostol, and low- or middle-income country status as designated by the World Health Organization.

DATA EXTRACTION

Results for effectiveness, safety, acceptability, and qualitative information were assessed.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The literature search resulted in 181 eligible articles, 52 of which met our criteria for inclusion. A total of 34 publications reported effectiveness data on 25 385 medical abortions. The average effectiveness rate with mifepristone 200 mg and misoprostol 800 µg was 95% up to 63 days gestation. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assume that all women lost to follow-up failed treatment, and the recalculated effectiveness rate remained high at 93%. The average continuing pregnancy rate was 0.6%. A total of 22 publications reported safety and acceptability data on 17 381 medical abortions. Only 0.8% abortions required presentation to hospital, and 87% of patients found the side effects of treatment acceptable. Overall, 95% of women were satisfied with their medical abortion, 94% would choose the method again, and 94% would recommend this method to a friend. A total of 16 publications reported qualitative results and the majority supported positive patient experiences with medical abortion.

CONCLUSIONS

Mifepristone and misoprostol is highly effective, safe, and acceptable to women in low- and middle-income countries, making it a feasible option for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Moving from legality to reality: how medical abortion methods were introduced with implementation science in Zambia

BACKGROUND

Although abortion is technically legal in Zambia, the reality is far more complicated. This study describes the process and results of galvanizing access to medical abortion where abortion has been legal for many years, but provision severely limited. It highlights the challenges and successes of scaling up abortion care using implementation science to document 2 years of implementation.

METHODS

An intervention between the Ministry of Health, University Teaching Hospital and the international organization Ipas, was established to introduce medical abortion and to address the lack of understanding and implementation of the country's abortion law. An implementation science model was used to evaluate effectiveness and glean lessons for other countries about bringing safe and legal abortion services to scale. The intervention involved the provision of Comprehensive Abortion Care services in 28 public health facilities in Zambia for a 2 year period, August 2009 to September 2011. The study focused on three main areas: building health worker capacity in public facilities and introducing medical abortion, working with pharmacists to provide improved information on medical abortion, and community engagement and mobilization to increase knowledge of abortion services and rights through stronger health system and community partnerships.

RESULTS

After 2 years, 25 of 28 sites provided abortion services, caring for more than 13,000 women during the intervention. For the first time, abortion was decentralized, 19% of all abortion care was performed in health centers. At the end of the intervention, all providing facilities had managers supportive of continuing legal abortion services. When asked about the impact of medical abortion provision, a number of providers reported that medical abortion improved their ability to provide affordable safe abortion. In neighboring pharmacies only 19% of mystery clients visiting them were offered misoprostol for purchase at baseline, this increased to 47% after the intervention. Despite progress in attitudes towards abortion clients, such as empathy, and improved community engagement, the evaluation revealed continuing stigma on both provider and client sides.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide a case study of the medical abortion introduction in Zambia and offer important lessons for expanding safe and legal abortion access in similar settings across Africa.

[Psychological aspects of abortion]

OBJECTIVE

To propose recommendations for women's counseling in abortion request and the psychological experience of orthogenic teams.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bibliographic search in the Medline database, PubMed, Cochrane Database Library, EM Premium bases, ENT Unistra and Cairn from 1990 to 2016.

RESULTS

During the pre-abortion consultations, it is recommended to respect the choice of the woman on to see or not the ultrasound images (gradeC) and determine with her the time it needs to perform abortion (professional agreement). Women's satisfaction seems greater when they have the possibility to choose the abortion method (grade B). It is therefore important that both methods are available to all gestational ages (professional agreement). There is no relationship between an increase in psychiatric disorders and induced abortion (NP2). Meetings for professionals are useful and should, to the extent possible, be established (professional agreement).

CONCLUSION

Improving psychological support for women involve listening them and respect their choice. This also involves thinking as a team.

Comparison of Outcomes before and after Ohio's Law Mandating Use of the FDA-Approved Protocol for Medication Abortion: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

In February 2011, an Ohio law took effect mandating use of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved protocol for mifepristone, which is used with misoprostol for medication abortion. Other state legislatures have passed or enacted similar laws requiring use of the FDA-approved protocol for medication abortion. The objective of this study is to examine the association of this legal change with medication abortion outcomes and utilization.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We used a retrospective cohort design, comparing outcomes of medication abortion patients in the prelaw period to those in the postlaw period. Sociodemographic and clinical chart data were abstracted from all medication abortion patients from 1 y prior to the law's implementation (January 2010-January 2011) to 3 y post implementation (February 2011-October 2014) at four abortion-providing health care facilities in Ohio. Outcome data were analyzed for all women undergoing abortion at ≤49 d gestation during the study period. The main outcomes were as follows: need for additional intervention following medication abortion (such as aspiration, repeat misoprostol, and blood transfusion), frequency of continuing pregnancy, reports of side effects, and the proportion of abortions that were medication abortions (versus other abortion procedures). Among the 2,783 medication abortions ≤49 d gestation, 4.9% (95% CI: 3.7%-6.2%) in the prelaw and 14.3% (95% CI: 12.6%-16.0%) in the postlaw period required one or more additional interventions. Women obtaining a medication abortion in the postlaw period had three times the odds of requiring an additional intervention as women in the prelaw period (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.11, 95% CI: 2.27-4.27). In a mixed effects multivariable model that uses facility-months as the unit of analysis to account for lack of independence by site, we found that the law change was associated with a 9.4% (95% CI: 4.0%-18.4%) absolute increase in the rate of requiring an additional intervention. The most common subsequent intervention in both periods was an additional misoprostol dose and was most commonly administered to treat incomplete abortion. The percentage of women requiring two or more follow-up visits increased from 4.2% (95% CI: 3.0%-5.3%) in the prelaw period to 6.2% (95% CI: 5.5%-8.0%) in the postlaw period (p = 0.003). Continuing pregnancy was rare (0.3%). Overall, 12.6% of women reported at least one side effect during their medication abortion: 8.4% (95% CI: 6.8%-10.0%) in the prelaw period and 15.6% (95% CI: 13.8%-17.3%) in the postlaw period (p < 0.001). Medication abortions fell from 22% (95% CI: 20.8%-22.3%) of all abortions the year before the law went into effect (2010) to 5% (95% CI: 4.8%-5.6%) 3 y after (2014) (p < 0.001). The average patient charge increased from US$426 in 2010 to US$551 in 2014, representing a 16% increase after adjusting for inflation in medical prices. The primary limitation to the study is that it was a pre/post-observational study with no control group that was not exposed to the law.

CONCLUSIONS

Ohio law required use of a medication abortion protocol that is associated with a greater need for additional intervention, more visits, more side effects, and higher costs for women relative to the evidence-based protocol. There is no evidence that the change in law led to improved abortion outcomes. Indeed, our findings suggest the opposite. In March 2016, the FDA-protocol was updated, so Ohio providers may now legally provide current evidence-based protocols. However, this law is still in place and bans physicians from using mifepristone based on any new developments in clinical research as best practices continue to be updated.

Medical Abortion

OBJECTIVE

This guideline reviews the evidence relating to the provision of first-trimester medical induced abortion, including patient eligibility, counselling, and consent; evidence-based regimens; and special considerations for clinicians providing medical abortion care.

INTENDED USERS

Gynaecologists, family physicians, registered nurses, midwives, residents, and other healthcare providers who currently or intend to provide pregnancy options counselling, medical abortion care, or family planning services.

TARGET POPULATION

Women with an unintended first trimester pregnancy.

EVIDENCE

Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library between July 2015 and November 2015 using appropriately controlled vocabulary (MeSH search terms: Induced Abortion, Medical Abortion, Mifepristone, Misoprostol, Methotrexate). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and observational studies published from June 1986 to November 2015 in English. Additionally, existing guidelines from other countries were consulted for review. A grey literature search was not required.

VALUES

The quality of evidence in this document was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force for Preventive Medicine rating scale (Table 1).

BENEFITS, HARMS AND/OR COSTS

Medical abortion is safe and effective. Complications from medical abortion are rare. Access and costs will be dependent on provincial and territorial funding for combination mifepristone/misoprostol and provider availability.

SUMMARY STATEMENTS

Introduction Pre-procedure care Medical abortion regimens Providing medical abortion Post-abortion care

RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction Pre-procedure care Medical abortion regimens Providing medical abortion Post-abortion care.

Acceptability of Home-Assessment Post Medical Abortion and Medical Abortion in a Low-Resource Setting in Rajasthan, India. Secondary Outcome Analysis of a Non-Inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Studies evaluating acceptability of simplified follow-up after medical abortion have focused on high-resource or urban settings where telephones, road connections, and modes of transport are available and where women have formal education.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate women's acceptability of home-assessment of abortion and whether acceptability of medical abortion differs by in-clinic or home-assessment of abortion outcome in a low-resource setting in India.

DESIGN

Secondary outcome of a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial.

SETTING

Outpatient primary health care clinics in rural and urban Rajasthan, India.

POPULATION

Women were eligible if they sought abortion with a gestation up to 9 weeks, lived within defined study area and agreed to follow-up. Women were ineligible if they had known contraindications to medical abortion, haemoglobin < 85 mg/l and were below 18 years.

METHODS

Abortion outcome assessment through routine clinic follow-up by a doctor was compared with home-assessment using a low-sensitivity pregnancy test and a pictorial instruction sheet. A computerized random number generator generated the randomisation sequence (1:1) in blocks of six. Research assistants randomly allocated eligible women who opted for medical abortion (mifepristone and misoprostol), using opaque sealed envelopes. Blinding during outcome assessment was not possible.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Women's acceptability of home-assessment was measured as future preference of follow-up. Overall satisfaction, expectations, and comparison with previous abortion experiences were compared between study groups.

RESULTS

731 women were randomized to the clinic follow-up group (n = 353) or home-assessment group (n = 378). 623 (85%) women were successfully followed up, of those 597 (96%) were satisfied and 592 (95%) found the abortion better or as expected, with no difference between study groups. The majority, 355 (57%) women, preferred home-assessment in the event of a future abortion. Significantly more women, 284 (82%), in the home-assessment group preferred home-assessment in the future, as compared with 188 (70%) of women in the clinic follow-up group, who preferred clinic follow-up in the future (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Home-assessment is highly acceptable among women in low-resource, and rural, settings. The choice to follow-up an early medical abortion according to women's preference should be offered to foster women's reproductive autonomy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01827995.

Pain during medical abortion, the impact of the regimen: a neglected issue? A review

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate pain and other early adverse events associated with different regimens of medical abortion up to nine weeks of amenorrhoea.

METHODS

The literature was searched for comparative studies of medical abortion using mifepristone followed by the prostaglandin analogue misoprostol. Publications, which included pain assessment were further analysed.

RESULTS

Of the 1459 publications on medical abortion identified, only 23 comparative, prospective trials corresponded to the inclusion criteria. Patients in these studies received different dosages of mifepristone in combination with different dosages of misoprostol administered via diverse routes or at various intervals. Information on pain level was reported in 12/23 papers (52%), information regarding systematic administration of analgesics in 12/23 articles (52%) and information concerning analgesia used was available for only 10/23 studies (43%).

CONCLUSIONS

Neither pain nor its treatment are systematically reported in clinical trials of medical abortion; this shortcoming reflects a neglect of the individual pain perception. When data are mentioned, they are too inconsistent to allow for any comparison between different treatment protocols. Standardised evaluation of pain is needed and the correlation between the dosage of misoprostol and the intensity of pain must be assessed in future studies.

The special programme of research in human reproduction: forty years of activities to achieve reproductive health for all

The Special Programme of Research in Human Reproduction (HRP), co-sponsored by the UNDP, UNFPA, WHO, and the World Bank, is celebrating 40 years of activities with an expansion of its mandate and new co-sponsors. When it began, in 1972, the main focus was on evaluating the acceptability, effectiveness, and safety of existing fertility-regulating methods, as well as developing new, improved modalities for family planning. In 1994, HRP not only made major contributions to the Plan of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD); it also broadened its scope of work to include other aspects of health dealing with sexuality and reproduction, adding a specific perspective on gender issues and human rights. In 2002, HRP's mandate was once again broadened to include sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS and in 2003 it was further expanded to research activities on preventing violence against women and its many dire health consequences. Today, the work of the Programme includes research on: the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, women, and men; maternal and perinatal health; reproductive tract and sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS); family planning; infertility; unsafe abortion; sexual health; screening for cancer of the cervix in developing countries, and gender and reproductive rights. Additional activities by the Programme have included: fostering international cooperation in the field of human reproduction; the elaboration of WHO's first Global Reproductive Health Strategy; work leading to the inclusion of ICPD's goal 'reproductive health for all by 2015' into the Millennium Development Goal framework; the promotion of critical interagency statements on the public health, legal, and human rights implications of female genital mutilation and gender-biased sex selection. Finally, HRP has been involved in the creation of guidelines and tools, such as the 'Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use', the 'Global handbook for family planning providers', the 'Definition of core competencies in primary health care', and designing tools for operationalizing a human rights approach to sexual and reproductive health programmes.

Medical methods for first trimester abortion

BACKGROUND

Surgical abortion by vacuum aspiration or dilatation and curettage has been the method of choice for early pregnancy termination since the 1960s. Medical abortion became an alternative method of first trimester pregnancy termination with the availability of prostaglandins in the early 1970s and anti-progesterones in the 1980s. The most widely researched drugs are prostaglandins (PGs) alone, mifepristone alone, methotrexate alone, mifepristone with prostaglandins and methotrexate with prostaglandins.

OBJECTIVES

To compare different medical methods for first trimester abortion.

SEARCH METHODS

The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE and Popline were systematically searched. Reference lists of retrieved papers were also searched. Experts in WHO/HRP were contacted.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Types of studies Randomised controlled trials comparing different medical methods for abortion during first trimester (e.g. single drug, combination) were considered. Trials were assessed and included if they had adequate concealment of allocation, randomisation procedure and follow-up. Women, pregnant during the first trimester, undergoing medical abortion were the participants. The outcomes were mortality, failure to achieve complete abortion, surgical evacuation, ongoing pregnancy at follow-up, time until passing of conceptus, blood transfusion, side effects and women's dissatisfaction with the procedure.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion from the results of the search strategy described previously.The selection of trials for inclusion in the review was performed independently by two reviewers after employing the search strategy described previously. Trials under consideration were evaluated for appropriateness for inclusion and methodological quality without consideration of their results. Data were processed using Revman software.

MAIN RESULTS

Fifty-eight trials were included in the review. The effectiveness outcomes below refer to 'failure to achieve complete abortion' with the intended method unless otherwise stated. 1) Combined regimen mifepristone/prostaglandin: Mifepristone 600 mg compared to 200 mg shows similar effectiveness in achieving complete abortion (4 trials, RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.32). Misoprostol administered orally is less effective (more failures) than the vaginal route (RR 3.00, 95% CI 1.44 to 6.24) and may be associated with more frequent side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea. Sublingual and buccal routes were similarly effective compared to the vaginal route, but had higher rates of side effects. 2) Mifepristone alone is less effective when compared to the combined regimen mifepristone/prostaglandin (RR 3.76 95% CI 2.30 to 6.15). 3) Five trials compared prostaglandin alone to the combined regimen (mifepristone/prostaglandin). All but one reported higher effectiveness with the combined regimen. The results of these studies could not be combined but the RR of failure with prostaglandin alone is reportedly between 1.4 to 3.75 with the 95% confidence intervals indicating statistical significance. 4) In one trial comparing gemeprost 0.5 mg with misoprostol 800 mcg, misoprostol was more effective (failure with gemeprost: RR 2.86, 95% CI 1.14 to 7.18). 5) There was no difference in effectiveness with use of a divided dose compared to a single dose of prostaglandin. 6) Combined regimen methotrexate/prostaglandin demonstrates similar rates of failure to complete abortion when comparing intramuscular to oral methotrexate administration (RR 2.04, 95% CI 0.51 to 8.07). Similarly, day 3 vs. day 5 administration of prostaglandin following methotrexate administration showed no significant differences (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.43). One trial compared the effect of tamoxifen vs. methotrexate and no statistically significant differences were observed in effectiveness between the groups.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Safe and effective medical abortion methods are available. Combined regimens are more effective than single agents. In the combined regimen, the dose of mifepristone can be lowered to 200 mg without significantly decreasing the method effectiveness. Vaginal misoprostol is more effective than oral administration, and has less side effects than sublingual or buccal. Some results are limited by the small numbers of participants on which they are based. Almost all trials were conducted in settings with good access to emergency services, which may limit the generalizability of these results.

Client preferences and acceptability for medical abortion and MVA as early pregnancy termination method in northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Increasing access to safe abortion services is the most effective way of preventing the burden of unsafe abortion, which is achieved by increasing safe choices for pregnancy termination. Medical abortion for termination of early abortion is said to safe, effective, and acceptable to women in several countries. In Ethiopia, however, medical methods have, until recently, never been used. For this reason it is important to assess women's preferences and the acceptability of medical abortion and manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) in the early first trimester pregnancy termination and factors affecting acceptability of medical and MVA abortion services.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted in two hospitals and two clinics from March 2009 to November 2009. The study population consisted of 414 subjects over the age of 18 with intrauterine pregnancies of up to 63 days' estimated gestation. Of these 251 subjects received mifepristone and misoprostol and 159 subjects received MVA. Questionnaires regarding expectations and experiences were administered before the abortion and at the 2-week follow-up visit.

RESULTS

The study groups were similar with respect to age, marital status, educational status, religion and ethnicity. Their mean age was about 23, majority in both group completed secondary education and about half were married. Place of residence and duration of pregnancy were associated with method choice. Subjects undergoing medical abortions reported significantly greater satisfaction than those undergoing surgical abortions (91.2% vs 82.4%; P < .001). Of those women who had medical abortion, (83.3%) would choose the method again if needed, and (77.4%) of those who had MVA would also choose the method again. Ninety four percent of women who had medical abortion and 86.8% of those who had MVA would recommend the method to their friends.

CONCLUSIONS

Women receiving medical abortion were more satisfied with their method and more likely to choose the same method again than were subjects undergoing surgical abortion. We conclude that medical abortion can be used widely as an alternative method for early pregnancy termination.

Stimulation of epithelial repair is a likely mechanism for the action of mifepristone in reducing duration of bleeding in users of progestogen-only contraceptives

Many women using progestogen (P)-only contraceptives experience uterine bleeding problems. In clinical trials, a single low dose of mifepristone, given to Implanon users at the beginning of a bleeding episode reduced the number of bleeding days by ∼50% compared with controls. In this study, a single dose of mifepristone was administered to etonogestrel (ENG)-exposed pseudo-pregnant mice, 5 days after artificial decidualization was induced when the endometrium showed signs of bleeding. Control mice received vehicle alone. Mice were culled 12-, 18-, 24- and 48-h post-treatment. In the continued presence of ENG, a single dose of mifepristone stimulated tissue breakdown followed by very rapid repair: most treated tissues were fully restored to the pre-decidualized state by 48 h post-treatment. During repair, proliferating cells (Ki67 immunostained) were localized to a band of cells around the basal area in breaking down tissues and to the repairing luminal epithelium and glands. Progesterone receptor-positive cells were largely localized to the basal area of the breaking down tissue in treated mice compared with decidual cells in controls. Oestrogen receptor-positive cells were observed in the repairing luminal epithelium and glands compared with the decidua and the basal region in control tissues. It is concluded that mifepristone treatment stimulates rapid restoration of luminal epithelial integrity: such action may be a key event in reducing the number of bleeding days observed in women using Implanon who were treated with a single dose of mifepristone.

Oral mifepristone and buccal misoprostol administered simultaneously for abortion: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Simultaneous oral mifepristone and vaginal misoprostol has a 24-h expulsion rate of approximately 90% when used for abortion through 63 days' gestation. This pilot study sought to determine if a simultaneous regimen using buccal misoprostol would be similarly effective and merit further investigation.

STUDY DESIGN

One hundred twenty women were enrolled into three equal groups by gestational age: < or =49 days (Group 1), 50-56 days (Group 2) and 57-63 days (Group 3). After swallowing 200 mg of mifepristone, subjects received 800 mcg buccal misoprostol. Participants returned in 24+/-1 h for evaluation of expulsion by ultrasonography. Women with a persistent gestational sac received 800 mcg vaginal misoprostol. Further follow-up occurred at 1, 2 and 5 weeks by telephone or in person, as appropriate. Sample sizes for each group were estimated with the aim of establishing a 24-h expulsion rate of 90% (95% CI=76-95).

RESULTS

The 24-h expulsion rates for Groups 1, 2 and 3 were 73% (95% CI=56-85), 69% (95% CI=52-83) and 73% (95% CI=56-85), respectively. Common side effects were nausea (62%), vomiting (33%) and diarrhea (48%), which did not differ by gestational age. Forty-three percent of subjects found the taste of buccal misoprostol objectionable; 30% found buccal retention uncomfortable or inconvenient, and 10% reported oral irritation, sensitivity, numbness or oral ulcers.

CONCLUSIONS

Simultaneous oral mifepristone and buccal misoprostol had a lower-than-hypothesized expulsion rate at 24 h. Although overall success rates at 7 or 15 days could have been higher than those observed at 24 h, we believe that this regimen does not warrant further study.

Efficacy of two intervals and two routes of administration of misoprostol for termination of early pregnancy: a randomised controlled equivalence trial

BACKGROUND

The most effective route and best interval between several doses of misoprostol to induce abortion have not been defined. Our aim was to assess the effects of the interval between multiple doses of misoprostol and the route of administration to terminate pregnancy.

METHODS

2066 healthy pregnant women requesting medical abortion with 63 days or less of gestation were randomly assigned within 11 gynaecological centres in six countries to the four treatment groups (three doses of 0.8 mg misoprostol given sublingually at 3-h intervals, vaginally 3 h, sublingually 12 h, and vaginally 12 h), stratifying by gestational age. This was an equivalence trial with a 5% margin of equivalence. The primary endpoints were efficacy of treatment to achieve complete abortion and to terminate pregnancy. The main efficacy analysis excluded women lost to follow-up. This trial is registered as an International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN10531821.

FINDINGS

Efficacy outcomes were analysed for 2046 women (99%), excluding 20 lost to follow-up. Complete abortion rates at 2-week follow-up were recorded for 431 (84%) in the sublingual and for 434 (85%) women in the vaginal group when misoprostol was given at 3-h intervals (difference 0.4%, 95% CI -4.0 to 4.9, p=0.85 equivalence shown), and for 399 (78%) in the sublingual and for 425 (83%) in the vaginal 12-h groups (4.6%, -0.2 to 9.5, p=0.06, equivalence not shown). In the 3-h groups, pregnancy continued in 29 (6%) women after sublingual and in 20 (4%) women after vaginal administration (difference 1.8%, 95% CI -0.8 to 4.4, p=0.19, equivalence shown); in the 12-h groups it continued in 47 (9%) after sublingual and in 25 (5%) after vaginal administration (4.4%, 1.2-7.5, p=0.01, vaginal better than sublingual). Differences for complete abortion between intervals for sublingual and vaginal routes were 6% (95% CI 1.0-10.6, p=0.02, 3 h better than 12 h) and 2% (-2.9 to 6.1, p=0.49, equivalence not shown), respectively; for continuing pregnancies they were 4% (0.4-6.8, p=0.03, 3 h better than 12 h) and 1% (-1.5 to 3.5, p=0.44, equivalence shown), respectively.

INTERPRETATION

Administration interval can be chosen between 3 h and 12 h when misoprostol is given vaginally. If administration is sublingual, the intervals between misoprostol doses need to be short, but side-effects are then increased. With 12-h intervals, vaginal route should be used, whereas with 3-h intervals either route could be chosen.

Mifepristone and misoprostol administered simultaneously versus 24 hours apart for abortion: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Mifepristone and oral misoprostol are typically used for medical abortion in women up to 49 days of gestation, with a 36- to 48-hour interval between the medications. Alternative routes of misoprostol administration allow for use beyond 49 days of gestation. We designed this randomized, noninferiority trial to compare the efficacy, adverse effects, and acceptability of misoprostol 800 mcg vaginally administered simultaneously with, or 24 hours after, mifepristone 200 mg orally for abortion in women up to 63 days of gestation.

METHODS

The 1,128 participants swallowed mifepristone 200 mg and were then randomized to self-administer misoprostol intravaginally immediately in the office (group 1) or 24 hours later at home (group 2). Subjects returned for an evaluation, including transvaginal ultrasonography, 7+/-1 days after initiating treatment. Women who had not aborted were offered a second dose of misoprostol and returned for another evaluation in approximately 1 week. A phone contact was also attempted approximately 5 weeks after treatment. Treatment was considered a failure if a suction aspiration was performed for any indication.

RESULTS

The complete abortion rate for group 1 (95.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 93.0-96.8%) was statistically noninferior to that for group 2 (96.9%, 95% CI 95.1-98.2%) (P=.003). The abortion rates between groups did not significantly differ by gestational age. Adverse effects were mostly similar, although nausea, diarrhea, and warmth or chills were significantly more common in group 1.

CONCLUSION

Mifepristone 200 mg and misoprostol 800 mcg vaginally used simultaneously is as effective for abortion as compared with regimens using a 24-hour dosing interval.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00269568

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I.

Alternatives to mifepristone for early medical abortion

OBJECTIVE

To review published reports of first-trimester medical abortion regimens that do not include mifepristone.

METHODS

Reports listed in Pubmed and Medline on prospective and controlled trials of the efficacy of misoprostol, alone or associated with methotrexate, for first-trimester abortion were analyzed if they included more than 100 participants and were published since 1990.

RESULTS

The efficacy of regimens using misoprostol alone ranged from 84% to 96%, and when misoprostol was used with methotrexate the efficacy ranged from 70% to 97%. Efficacy rates were influenced by follow-up interval. Treatment for infection, bleeding, and incomplete abortion were infrequent with both methods (0.3%-5%).

CONCLUSION

Alone or in combination with methotrexate, misoprostol is an efficacious alternative to mifepristone for the medical termination of pregnancy.

Patients’ obstetric history in mid-trimester termination of pregnancy with gemeprost: Does it really matter?

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to investigate the importance of previous obstetric history for termination of pregnancy in the second-trimester with gemeprost alone.

STUDY DESIGN

A consecutive series of 423 mid-trimester inductions of abortion at our teaching hospital was reviewed. Termination of pregnancy was carried out with 1mg of vaginal gemeprost every 3h up to three doses over a 24-h period, repeated the following day if necessary. Failed induction was defined as women undelivered by 96 h. The study population was then stratified by gestational age, parity, gravidity and previous uterine scars. Main outcome parameters were failed induction and complication rates. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi(2) test or Fisher's exact test for categorical data, and the t-test and linear regression for continuous variables.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found in the primary outcome parameters with regard to the obstetric parameters considered. The failed induction rate was 1.2% with an overall incidence of complications of 7.4%. Parity was the main factor that affected clinical response (time to abortion interval and number of pessaries).

CONCLUSION

Patients' obstetric history does affect the clinical response to gemeprost, but its safety and effectiveness are preserved. These data provide clinicians with important information for correct counselling.

Mid-trimester induced abortion: a review

Mid-trimester abortion constitutes 10-15% of all induced abortion. The aim of this article is to provide a review of the current literature of mid-trimester methods of abortion with respect to efficacy, side effects and acceptability. There have been continuing efforts to improve the abortion technology in terms of effectiveness, technical ease of performance, acceptability and reduction of side effects and complications. During the last decade, medical methods for mid-trimester induced abortion have shown a considerable development and have become safe and more accessible. The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is now an established and highly effective method for termination of pregnancy (TOP). Advantages and disadvantages of medical versus surgical methods are discussed. Randomized studies are lacking, and more studies on pain treatment and the safety of any method used in patients with a previous uterine scar are debated, and data are scarce. Pain management in abortion requires special attention. This review highlights the need for randomized studies to set guidelines for mid-trimester abortion methods in terms of safety and acceptability as well as for better analgesic regimens.

Women's perceptions on medical abortion

The reasons why women choose medical abortion vary in different countries. In most countries, the most common reasons for choosing medical abortion are as follows: (a) avoidance of surgery or general anesthesia; (b) perception that it is safer; and (c) perception that it is more natural than a surgical procedure. In most studies, over 80% of women who chose medical abortion found it acceptable and would choose the same method again if they needed another abortion in the future. They would also recommend this procedure to other women who need an abortion. In selected women, the administration of misoprostol at home was also acceptable. The acceptability of medical abortion may decrease with increasing gestational age of pregnancy, failure of medical abortion, prolonged bleeding and high levels of discomfort and anxiety during the abortion procedure. There was no significant difference in the emotional responses or incidences of psychiatric morbidity between women undergoing medical and women undergoing surgical abortion.

Frequently asked questions about medical abortion

The development of methods of inducing abortion medically (nonsurgically) has created alternative options to make abortion available to women in a variety of health-care settings. Medical abortion is induced with a regimen of mifepristone followed by a prostaglandin analogue. Since its first introduction in the late 1980s, the regimen has undergone some modifications based on research evidence, and, in many countries, clinicians are using regimens that may differ from the one that has been licensed. This causes confusion among providers, also because only a few countries have developed national guidelines for the provision of medical abortion. We approached health care personnel providing abortion services in various countries and asked them to send us questions that they, or their colleagues, might have concerning the clinical practice of medical abortion in the early first trimester (up to 63 days since the first day of the last menstrual period). These questions were sent to experts representing the fields of biomedical and clinical research, clinical practice and family planning, who conducted literature reviews so that, whenever possible, the answers could be based on existing evidence. A consensus meeting was held in Bellagio, Italy, between November 1 and 5, 2004, to review the questions and to discuss the answers. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of some of the questions asked and the answers discussed.

A systematic review of more than one dose of misoprostol after mifepristone for abortion up to 10 weeks of gestation

OBJECTIVES

This review aimed to assess the effectiveness, acceptability and safety of regimens that include mifepristone and multiple misoprostol doses for abortion up to 10 weeks of gestation.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE and reference lists for English-language reports (published between January 1990 and September 2005) of trials evaluating a medication abortion regimen consisting of mifepristone and multiple doses of misoprostol. Eligible trials had to either be restricted to women with less than 10 weeks' gestation or report stratified results that allowed the extraction of data for this subset.

RESULTS

Although we identified 26 eligible studies, only 3 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparing regimens that differed in the repeat-dose misoprostol component. These trials did not detect differences in effectiveness between the randomized groups. One RCT found evidence of higher effectiveness from repeat misoprostol doses among a subgroup of women with more advanced gestations.

CONCLUSIONS

Although clinicians often prescribe a repeat dose of misoprostol to increase effectiveness in medication abortion, the effect of the repeat dose has not been established. Because mifepristone followed by a single misoprostol dose is highly effective in inducing abortion, determining the effect of a repeat misoprostol dose would require a large sample size. The resource expenditure on such large trials might not be warranted. Any future studies should use induction-to-completion time to measure effectiveness and should assess acceptability and side effects.

Review of medical abortion using mifepristone in combination with a prostaglandin analogue

Induced abortion is still a major health problem in the world and the most frequently performed intervention in obstetrics and gynecology with an estimated total of 46 million worldwide each year. Medical abortion with mifepristone and prostaglandin was first introduced in 1988 and is now approved in 31 countries. This combination of drugs has recently been included in the List of Essential Medicines by the World Health Organisation. The present review summarizes the development, physiology and the development of the currently used regimens.

Access to safe abortion within the limits of the law

The World Health Organization defines unsafe abortion as a procedure for terminating an unintended pregnancy carried out by people lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both. The Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development recommends that 'In circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion should be safe'. However, millions of women still risk their lives by undergoing unsafe abortion even if they comply with the law. This is a serious violation of women's human rights, and obstetricians and gynaecologists have a fundamental role in breaking the administrative and procedural barriers to safe abortion. This chapter reviews the magnitude of the problem, its consequences for women's health, the barriers to access to safe abortion, including its legal status, the effect of the law on the rate and the consequences of abortion, the human rights implications and the current evidence on methods to perform safe abortion. This chapter concludes with an analysis of what can be done to change the current situation.

Medicamentous abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol in Serbia and Montenegro

Background/Aim. Medicamentous abortion was first introduced in Serbia and Montenegro in September 2001. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency, side effects, and acceptability of medicamentous abortion using mifeprostone orally (600 mg), and 48 hours later, misoprostol both orally and vaginally in different regiments in our population (400 mcg, 600 mcg, 800 mcg). Methods. A total of 235 consecutive women with pregnancies up to 49 days of gestational age were assigned to 4 groups according to the different misoprostol regiment (group I 400 mcg, group II 600 mcg, group III 800 mcg orally, and group IV 800 mcg both orally and vaginally). The principal outcome measure was a successful abortion defined as a complete expulsion of intrauterine contents without a need for surgical intervention 14 days after the procedure. Other outcome measures were the following: drug related effects, and adverse effects related to the abortion process. Results. In general, the success rate was 50%, 89.48%, 75% and 92.11% in the groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively, as judged by the complete expulsion of the intrauterine contents without surgical intervention (t1:4 = 7.005; t2:4 = 0.3872, t3:4 = 2.9784, p < 0.01). The incidence of adverse effects (vomiting, abdominal pain, bleeding, and fever) was low in general, but among our groups it occurred mostly with the higher doses of orally applied misoprostol (800 and 600 mcg). Only one case required urgent curettage for heavy vaginal bleeding, and two blood transfusions, as well. No cases of intact pregnancies were recorded in the study. Conclusion. Our study showed that a mifepristone dose of 600 mg orally, and misoprostol 400 mcg orally and 400 mcg vaginally were most effective. Thus, a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol for medicamentous abortion should take a higher proportion in the termination of early pregnancy in our population.