title: Prophylactic antibiotics for suction curettage abortion: results of a clinical controlled trial.
abstract: The prophylactic use of 300 mg doxycycline at the time of an abortion was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. In the group with negative chlamydia screening results, only two (0.4%) of 502 patients who received prophylactic treatment developed pelvic infection, compared with 15 (3.0%) of 497 patients who received placebos (p = 0.001). The same effectiveness was found in women with positive chlamydia screening results. Vomiting was the major side effect of the medication and could limit its use. A simulation of selective prophylaxis in women with negative chlamydia screening results showed that its selective use in patients with a history of gonorrhea or in nulliparous women with multiple sex partners could be nearly two thirds as effective as general prophylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Laval University Hospital Center, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levallois
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rioux
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011292:Premedication; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D014619:Vacuum Curettage
chemical_list: D004318:Doxycycline