Misoprostol is used by women in Brazil in case of unwanted pregnancy t
o attempt abortion. This paper reports the characteristics, pattern of
misoprostol use and opinions of a group of 102 women (median age 25 y
ears, range 26-49 years), from Fortaleza, capital of ceara state, who
had used misoprostol to attempt abortion. Seventy-five percent were wo
men of lower social class, 58% had less than 8 years of education and
46% were never married. Misoprostol was used for the first induced abo
rtion by 65 women. Modal dose was 4 tablets-200 mu g of misoprostol ea
ch-most frequently 2 tablets by oral route and 2 tablets by intravagin
al route. This pattern of use was associated with the highest rate of
abortion, mainly at 9-12 weeks of amenorrhea. Fifty-five percent of wo
men had no pregnancy test; 41% had 8 weeks or less of amenorrhea. Cure
ttage was performed in 49 of 84 women who reported abortion and in 41
of 43 women who entered the hospital. Infection and uterine perforatio
n were the complications described. Seventy-two percent of women were
infavor of legalization of abortion, but 52% were also in favor of the
prohibition of misoprostol sales; 66% would not repeat misoprostol us
e and 53% would not suggest it to a friend. The poorest women were les
s favorable to misoprostol ban. Despite the current lack of safer alte
rnatives, misoprostol does not seem a satisfactory solution to illegal
abortion in Brazil.