A comparison of vaginal misoprostol 800 microg versus 400 microg in early pregnancy failure: a randomized controlled...

To compare the efficacy, side effects and patient satisfaction between 800 microg versus 400 microg intravaginal misoprostol for early pregnancy failure.

Women diagnosed as early pregnancy failure were randomly assigned to receive either 800 microg or 400 microg intravaginal misoprostol. The second dose was administered if there was no evidence of abortion in 24 h. The treatment failure was reffered to no complete abortion within 48 h. Dilatation and curettage was performed if the patients had heavy vaginal bleeding or evidence of incomplete abortion or no complete abortion.

25 patients were randomized to receive 800 microg and 25 patients were to receive 400 microg misoprostol. Complete abortion was not significantly different between the 2 groups (72%, 76% respectively). Although median time to abortion in the 800 microg group was significantly shorter, the patients experienced more side effects especially fever which was significantly different (P = 0.04). In the 800 microg group, 2 patients had heavy vaginal bleeding and one patient developed endometritis. There was no significant difference in the patients' satisfaction between both groups.

400 microg of vaginal misoprostol are as effective as 800 microg in producing complete abortion in early pregnancy failure with less side effects and similar patient satisfaction.