Clinical efficacy of mifepristone and misoprostol in second trimester pregnancy termination

the aim of this study was to evaluate factors affecting clinical effectiveness of 2nd trimester medical terminations using mifepristone and misoprostol combination.

a retrospective observational study.

ninety consecutive women who had undergone medical termination of pregnancy after 12-24 weeks of gestation.

clinical data were collected from Oulu University Hospital patient records for the period between February 2003 and August 2005. The associations between patient characteristics and different outcomes were evaluated using standard statistical tests for correlation.

the time elapsed from induction to successful abortion.

the majority (94%) of women aborted successfully within 24 hours. Those who were considered day cases (no overnight hospitalization) were more likely to have a successful termination (p = 0.004), while those who were hospitalized for three or more days were more likely to have a complication (p = 0.046). Women with no previous live births or women with gestation ≥ 17 weeks required opiate analgesia more often (p = 0.019, p = 0.02, respectively). Induction to abortion time was shorter (p < 0.001) when pregnancy had lasted <17 weeks. Nulliparous women were more likely to have a longer induction-to-abortion interval (p < 0.001) than uni- and multiparous women. Women with previous live births aborted more often within 8 hours than women with no previous births (p = 0.032).

multiparous women and women with early gestation complete medical termination faster. Multiparity and shorter gestation time are also associated with lesser need for opiate analgesia, compared to nulliparous women or longer gestation time (≥ 17 weeks).