Early medical abortion: a new regimen up to 49 days' gestation

To evaluate a new regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol in early medical abortion up to 49 days of amenorrhoea.

One hundred healthy women requesting pregnancy termination up to 49 days gestation received 200 mg mifepristone followed by 800 microg misoprostol orally 24 h later. Statistical analysis was carried out by unpaired t-test.

Ninety-six percent of patients aborted completely 4.3 h after they were given misoprostol. No significant side-effects were noted. The duration of bleeding correlated with gestational age (P-value 0.009).

This new regimen of mifepristone-misoprostol is effective in terminating early pregnancy, with shorter induction to abortion interval and greater acceptability.