Mifepristone 100 mg in abortion regimens.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the clinical efficacy of mifepristone 100 mg followed 2 days later by misoprostol 400 microg orally or 800 microg vaginally in women at up to 49 days' gestation.


METHODS
Eighty participants received mifepristone 100 mg and then were randomized to misoprostol, administered 48 hours later, at a dose of 400 microg orally (group 1) or 800 microg vaginally (group 2). Women returned for follow-up evaluations 24 +/- 1 hour after using the misoprostol and then 2-3 weeks later. If abortion still had not occurred and the pregnancy was nonviable, the subject returned again after an additional 3 weeks.


RESULTS
Twenty-four hours after receiving misoprostol, 34 (85%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 71%, 94%) of the 40 women in group 1 and 38 (95%; 95% CI 85%, 99%) of the 40 women in group 2 had complete abortions. Overall, complete abortion without surgical intervention occurred in 34 women in group 1 (85%; 95% CI 71%, 94%) and 40 women in group 2 (100%; 95% CI 91%, 100%; P =.03). Four women in group 1 required suction aspiration for continuing pregnancy at the second follow-up, compared with none in group 2 (P =.12). Side effects occurred with similar frequency in both treatment groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-dose mifepristone (100 mg) combined with vaginal misoprostol 800 microg may be an effective alternative to regimens using 200 or 600 mg of mifepristone with misoprostol.
Creinin
M D
MD
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. mcreinin@mail.magee.edu
Pymar
H C
HC
Schwartz
J L
JL
D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000021:Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy
D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D000021:Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal; D016595:Misoprostol; D015735:Mifepristone