The experience of pain in real-time during medication abortion

We aimed to characterize the current pain experience of patients completing an evidence-based mifepristone-misoprostol medication abortion regimen using real-time pain scores.

We collected real-time data on pain experienced by 54 women undergoing medication abortion using an evidence-based regimen of 200 mg mifepristone and 800 mcg buccal misoprostol. These women were enrolled in the placebo arm of a study on the effect of pregabalin for pain during medication abortion. All participants were dispensed ibuprofen and oxycodone/acetaminophen for analgesia. We assessed maximum pain experienced by participants on an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS), duration of pain, and analgesic usage. Data was collected through electronic surveys sent via text message link at 6 specified points over 72 hours.

Of the 54 women randomized to the placebo group, 2 were lost to follow-up. Participants experienced a mean maximum pain score of 5.5 ± 2.2. The mean time to maximum pain was 3.7 ± 2.4 hours after misoprostol. By hour 12 after misoprostol, 60.8% of participants reported no pain, which increased to 76.9% at 24 hours and 82.0% at 72 hours. Participants reported median ibuprofen usage of 2 800 mg tablets and median oxycodone/acetaminophen usage of one-half of a 5/325mg tablet. Approximately 12.0% of participants reported taking zero ibuprofen tablets, and 50.0% reported no opioid usage during the study period.

Our real-time data collection demonstrated lower mean maximum experienced pain scores and shorter duration of pain than previously reported for medication abortion. Analgesic use was lower than previously described.

This updated characterization of pain experienced during an evidence-based medication abortion regimen may allow for better pain-related counseling, tailoring of opioid prescription practices, and improvement in patient satisfaction.