By the end of the third day, 71 percent of the women
receiving misoprostol experienced complete uterine expulsion.
After 5 more days had passed, a total of 84 percent
of the misoprostol group had complete uterine expulsion.
The misoprostol treatment failed for 16 percent of the
group, however. In contrast, 3 percent of the vacuum
aspiration group experienced treatment failure, and
needed to undergo the procedure a second time. Complications
from either misoprostol or vacuum aspiration — uterine
hemorrhage and infection of the uterine lining — were
rare, occurring in less than 1 percent of each group.
Of the women in the misoprostol group, 78 percent said
they would choose the drug again if they needed to,
and 83 percent said they would recommend it to other
women.
Dr. Zhang noted that, because misoprostol causes uterine
contractions, treatment with the drug could bring about
abdominal pain and cramping. The researchers treated
minor pain caused by the treatment with ibuprofen and
treated more intense pain with codeine.
He added that the misoprostol treatment provided an
effective alternative for women who preferred to avoid
the surgical procedure. Moreover, because it could be
performed on an out-patient basis, the misoprostol treatment
was less expensive and could provide women more privacy
and convenience than vacuum aspiration. Roughly one
in four women experience miscarriage, so the availability
of a non-surgical treatment may provide an effective
alternative for many women, he added.
“Misoprostol is inexpensive and does not need to be
refrigerated,” Dr. Zhang said. “It could provide treatment
for miscarriage in developing countries where safe surgical
treatment may not be readily accessible.”
Other authors of the study were Jerry M. Gilles, M.D.,
the University of Miami, Florida; Kurt Barnhart, MD,
MSCE, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia;
Mitchell D. Creinin, M.D., the University of Pittsburgh;
Carolyn Westhoff, M.D., Columbia University, New York;
and Margaret M. Frederick, Ph.D., Clinical Trials and
Surveys Corporation, Baltimore, M.D.
The NICHD is part of the National Institutes of
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government. NIH is an agency of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services. The NICHD sponsors research
on development, before and after birth; maternal,
child, and family health; reproductive biology and
population issues; and medical rehabilitation.
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Nation's Medical Research Agency — is comprised
of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of
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It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and
supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical
research, and investigates the causes, treatments,
and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more
information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.