Medical termination of pregnancy at 63 to 83 days gestation

Objective To assess the efficacy of medical regimen for the termination of pregnancy within gestational age range of 63 to 83 days. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Gynaecology department within a district general hospital. Population Women attending the pregnancy advisory clinic between June 1996 and December 1997. Methods The medical regimen used was mifepristone 200 mg orally followed af ter 36 to 48 h by misoprostol 800 mu g administered vaginally. Main outcome measures The success rate of the medical termination of pregna ncy regimen, where success was defined as achieving complete abortion witho ut the need for secondary intervention by either surgical or repeat medical means. Results Primary medical termination of pregnancy was chosen by 253 (80.8%) of the 313 women and was successful in 239 (94.5%). Repeat medical treatmen t achieved completion of the abortion in a further three women (1.2%) and s urgical evacuation of the uterus was required in 10 (4.0%). One woman decli ned further intervention after failed medical treatment but subsequently mi scarried. Conclusions The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is effective fo r the termination of pregnancy for gestations of 63 to 83 days.