Clinical, hormonal and sonographic predictors of successful RU-486-induced abortions

To evaluate which method, clinical, hormonal or sonographic, can be used as the best predictor of successful RU-486-induced abortions, 20 healthy women with fetal cardiac activity, between 6 and 9 weeks from the last menstrual period and desiring abortion, were studied. Fourteen women (70%) successfully aborted, and 6 (30%) failed to abort within 7 days following therapy. A small hematoma, seen as a localized detachment of the gestational sac, was observed in the decidua capsularis in women who aborted successfully. A significant decrease in plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone (p < 0.04) and significantly increased cortisol levels (p < 0.001) in the plasma of the 14 patients who aborted were noted by the 7th day following treatment. No significant changes were observed in the 6 nonaborting patients. In conclusion, the differences in the early sonographic findings may be helpful in the early prediction of successful RU-486 administration.