title: Mifepristone may shorten the induction-to-abortion time for termination of second-trimester pregnancies by ethacridine lactate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We reviewed our experience with adding mifepristone to the protocol for the termination of pregnancy up to 24 weeks of gestation by intra-amniotic ethacridine lactate.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study consisted of women who presented for the termination of a second-trimester pregnancy between August 2000 and July 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1245 women who requested a termination of a second-trimester pregnancy, 744 women underwent the induction of abortion by intra-amniotic ethacridine lactate with mifepristone (mifepristone group), and 501 received intra-amniotic ethacridine lactate alone (control group). The proportion of women who delivered within 24 h was 25.94% in the mifepristone group and 10.18% in the control group (p < .001); the failure rate of abortion was 5.38% in the mifepristone group and 4.99% in the control group (p < .001). There was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups. The rate of cervical laceration was 0.54% in the mifepristone group and 0.60% in the control group (p = .9315). The rate of retained placental tissue was 6.99% in the mifepristone group and 6.19% in the control group (p = .1112). Nausea was reported by 34.0% of women in the mifepristone group and none in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of mifepristone to ethacridine lactate may shorten the induction-to-abortion time compared with the use of ethacridine lactate alone without increasing the number of complications.
authors: Woman's Hospital, School of Medicine-Zhejing University, 2 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, PR China.
authors: YaLing
authors: Y
authors: Zhuang
authors: XiuYing
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: LiLi
authors: L
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000021:Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004975:Ethacridine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000021:Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D015735:Mifepristone; D004975:Ethacridine