ORAL MIFEPRISTONE 600 MG AND VAGINAL GEMEPROST FOR MIDTRIMESTER INDUCTION OF ABORTION - AN OPEN MULTICENTER STUDY

This open multicenter study was performed in 20 hospital gynecological units in the UK. The effects of 600 mg oral mifepristone as pretreatm ent to vaginal prostaglandin induction of second trimester abortion wa s studied in 267 women. The primary efficacy variable was the abortion induction interval, defined as the time taken to expel the fetus from the time of administration of the first prostaglandin pessary. Induct ion was commenced 36 to 48 hours following mifepristone intake. The me an abortion induction interval was 7 h. A total of 81.9% of women abor ted within 12 h. There was a significant relationship between abortion induction interval and age of gestation, and a significant inverse re lationship between abortion induction interval and parity. Vomiting, p elvic pain, and nausea were the most frequently reported adverse event s. Two patients required transfusion and one patient with a uterine sc ar from a previous cesarean section suffered a ruptured uterus and hys terotomy. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.