title: The use of misoprostol for early pregnancy failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper reviews the current management of early pregnancy failure with particular emphasis on the use of misoprostol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical management using misoprostol is effective for the management of miscarriages. The success rate ranged from 84 to 93% depending on the regimen of misoprostol, the duration of waiting period and the types of miscarriage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Miscarriages occur in 10 to 20% of all pregnancies. Surgical evacuation has been used to empty the uterus. Recently, medical treatment using misoprostol has been studied for the management of miscarriage. It avoids surgery and its associated complications. Compared to expectant management, the success rate is higher. Nonsurgical management takes a longer period to reach the endpoint and medical management is associated with side effect of medication. Studies have shown that medical management is safe and acceptable to women. The optimal regimen of medical management, however, is yet to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. ostang@graduate.hku.hk
authors.forename: Oi Shan
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Pak Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000021:Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000027:Abortion, Incomplete / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D000021:Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal; D016595:Misoprostol; D015735:Mifepristone