title: Efficacy of two regimens of misoprostol for early second-trimester pregnancy termination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of a combined regimen of misoprostol with vaginal misoprostol for early 2nd-trimester pregnancy termination.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study that includes 79 pregnant women who requested legal termination of 2nd-trimester pregnancy between 13 and 22 weeks. Two regimens of misoprostol were used. Group 1: 400 microg of oral plus 400 microg vaginal misoprostol every 8 h (combined regimen) and group 2: 400 microg of vaginal misoprostol every 3 h up to a maximum of five doses (vaginal regimen).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The induction-to-abortion interval was significantly longer in group 1 (25.5 +/- 24.45 h) than in group 2 (15 +/- 7.14 h) (p = 0.016). The abortion rate within 24 h in group 1 was of 56.8 vs. 85.7% in group 2 (p = 0.006). The hazard rate for vaginal delivery within 24 h was found to be 2.277-fold greater in the group with the combined therapy once controlled for plausible confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that oral misoprostol combined with vaginal misoprostol does not reduce the induction-to-abortion interval compared to an exclusively vaginal route when used for early 2nd-trimester pregnancy termination.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institut Clínic de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia i Neonatologia, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guix
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palacio
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Figueras
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennasar
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zamora
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.forename: Vicenç
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cararach
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D016595:Misoprostol