title: Misoprostol Abortion: Ultrasonography versus Beta-hCG Testing for Verification of Effectiveness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Miscarriage is a common complication of early pregnancy with medical and psychological consequences. Dilation and Curettage are considered as two standard caring ways for early pregnancy failure. Alternatively misoprostol has been used as a single agent for termination of early pregnancy. Aim of the present study was to compare the usefulness of serum β-hCG measurement and ultrasound examination to predict complete abortion after medical induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were one hundred and thirty three patients experiencing missed abortion or blighted ovum. Ultrasound examination and serum β-hCG test were performed before treatment and during follow-up in all these patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment was successful without any need for surgical intervention in 92.4% of the cases. Both methods could verify the complete abortion among all the patients at the end of the study (4(th) week). Kappa agreement coefficient for the two methods of diagnosis was 0.327 (P < 0.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, β- hCG is as effective as ultrasound in confirming a successful medically induced abortion in early pregnancy, but it should be used as supplements to clinical assessments.
authors.affiliation: Fariba Behnamfar, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Behnamfar
authors.affiliation: Mehrdad Mahdian, Trauma Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahdian
authors.affiliation: Fereshteh Rahimi, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: Mansoureh Samimi, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samimi
keywords: Medical abortion; Misoprostol; Ultrasound; Verification of expulsion; hCG