Publication:

A comparative study of efficacy of two different regimens of vaginal misoprostol in first trimester termination of pregnancy in a tertiary care hospital

Background Misoprostol has been authorised as an effective medication for termination of pregnancy at different gestations, cervical ripening, labour inducing in term pregnancy, and possibly therapy of postpartum haemorrhage in the last two decades. Objectives were to compare the efficacy of two different regimens of vaginal misoprostol in first trimester termination of pregnancy.

Methods This was a randomized controlled trial conducted among 50 women in the reproductive age group with single live intrauterine gestation less than 12 weeks. All patients including both groups received mifepristone 200 mg oral administration as day 1 followed by group A received misoprostol 800 mg stat after 36 hours of mifepristone and group B received misoprostol 400 mg stat after 36 hours of mifepristone followed by 200 mg at 6 hourly 2 doses.

Results The mean age of the study participants was 26.48±3.77 and 24.72±3.33 in group A and B respectively. The 20% and 16% in group A had repeat dose and dilatation and curettage (D and C) done whereas only 8% had D and C done in group B. There was no significant difference between the prevalence side effects between the groups. Group B showed higher dissatisfaction than group A. The 36% and 8% of the study participants in group A and B respectively had incomplete abortion.

Conclusions Multidose regimen is found to be more effective in the first trimester termination of pregnancy than the single dose regimen.