Authors
Ashok PW. Templeton A.
Institution:
Dr. P.W. Ashok, Department of Obstetrics Gynaecology, University of Aberdeen,
Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Cornhill Road, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD; United
Kingdom.
Title:
Nonsurgical mid-trimester termination of pregnancy: A review of 500 consecutive cases. (1999 2713)
Source:
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 106(7) (pp06-710), 1999.
Abstract:
Objective. To assess the effectiveness of a regimen comprising mifepristone followed by a combination of the vaginal and oral administration of misoprostol for mid-trimester medical termination of pregnancy. Design. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in women undergoing mid-trimester medical termination of pregnancy. Setting. Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Scotland. Sample. A consecutive series of 500 women with pregnancies of 13-21 weeks of amenorrhea undergoing legally induced abortion in one Scottish NHS hospital. Methods. Each woman received a single oral dose of mifepristone 200 mg and 36-48 h later vaginal misoprostol 800 mug. Three hours following the first dose of misoprostol, 400 mug doses were administered orally at three hourly intervals, to a maximum of four doses. Success was defined as abortion occurring with five doses of prostaglandin, or within 15 h of administration of the first dose of prostaglandin.
Results:
Ninety-seven percent aborted successfully. The median dose of misoprostol required was 1200 mug and the median induction-to-abortion interval after first prostaglandin administration was 6.5 h. The median number of doses of misoprostol required to induce abortion, and the induction-to-abortion interval, was statistically significantly higher among women at gestations 17-21 weeks than among those at 13-16 weeks (P = 0.0001). A total of 9.4% required surgical evacuation of the uterus under general anaesthesia and 66.4% of the women were managed as day cases. Conclusions. The combination of oral mifepristone 200 mg followed by vaginally and orally administered misoprostol provides a noninvasive and effective regimen for second trimester termination of pregnancy.
Please click on the required question.
- 1 What does the term abortion mean?
- 2 What are the legal criteria that permit doctors to terminate a pregnancy in the UK?
- 3 How could we tell if there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped - e.g. Down Syndrome?
- 3A What is Tay Sachs and should we test for it?
- 4 How prevalent is pregnancy termination?
- 5 Why do unwanted pregnancies occur?
- 6 I think I may be pregnant and I do not want to have a baby now. What should I do?
- 7 Should I terminate my pregnancy for social reasons?
- 8 How can my pregnancy be terminated?
- 9 What does a suction (surgical) termination of pregnancy involve?
- 10 What is a medical abortion?
- 11 What will happen to me if I have a medical abortion?
- 12 How do medical and surgical pregnancy termination compare?
- 13 What are the chances of medical termination failing?
- 14 What are the risks of pregnancy termination?
- 15 Why is there debate about the ethics of pregnancy termination?
- 16 Support Groups.
- 17 Where can I obtain more information?
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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
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