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RU486: the French experience

A Ulmann¹, L Silvestre

¹Centre de Recherches Roussel-Uclaf, Romainville, France.

Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)

|June 1, 1994

Summary

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Mifepristone (RU486) with prostaglandin analogues offers a safe and effective medical abortion. This method, when used correctly, demonstrates high efficacy rates for early pregnancy termination.

Area of Science:

Reproductive Medicine
Pharmacology
Medical Abortion

Background:

Mifepristone (RU486) combined with prostaglandin (PG) analogues is an established medical alternative to surgical early pregnancy termination in France.
Strict regulatory controls govern the use and distribution of mifepristone within approved centers.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mifepristone (RU486) followed by a prostaglandin analogue for medical pregnancy termination.
To assess the effectiveness of an oral PGE1 analogue (misoprostol) in combination with mifepristone.

Main Methods:

Analysis of data from over 20,000 women who received mifepristone as part of a prescriber training program.
Clinical trial evaluating mifepristone followed 36-48 hours later by 400 micrograms of oral misoprostol.

Keywords:

Abortion, Drug Induced Abortion, Induced Biology Developed Countries Endocrine System Europe Family Planning Fertility Control, Postconception France Hormone Antagonists Hormones Mediterranean Countries Physiology Prostaglandins--administraction and dosage Research Report Ru-486--administraction and dosage Western Europe

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Main Results:

Mifepristone with PG analogues demonstrated an overall efficacy rate of 95.3%.
Common side effects included pelvic pain (1.6%) and malaise (1.2%), with infectious complications reported in 0.2%.
The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol achieved an efficacy rate of 96.9%, comparable to other PG analogues.

Conclusions:

Mifepristone (RU486) is a safe and effective medical option for early pregnancy termination when manufacturer guidelines are followed.
Careful medical monitoring is essential following prostaglandin administration due to rare severe adverse events.