title: Use of misoprostol for self-induced medical abortions among Saudi women: a call for attention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate misoprostol use as a self-administered medical abortifacient and to explore the knowledge and availability of misoprostol and attitudes towards it among Saudi women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in obstetric and gynecological outpatient clinics at private and teaching institutions between January 1 and June 29, 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 678 respondents, 40% (271/678) were aware of misoprostol use as an abortifacient and 7.4% (50/678) reported personal use of it as an abortifacient. Misoprostol users were more likely to have had previous abortions (96%, 48/50; p < 0.01), had a relative/friend working in the medical field (70%, 35/50; p < 0.01) and known someone else who had used the drug (82%, 41/50; p < 0.01). The majority responded incorrectly that higher misoprostol doses are required with more advanced gestational age (96%, 48/50) and that misoprostol use confers no fetal risks (100%, 50/50).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion that reported personal use of misoprostol in the current study (7.4%) exceeded that in similar samples in Brazil (2.2%) and the USA (5%). One concerning finding was the users' poor knowledge about misoprostol. Increased awareness about the inherent risks associated with unsupervised misoprostol use as an abortifacient is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sharifa A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Alsibiani
mesh_terms: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012651:Self Medication / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D016595:Misoprostol