Acceptability and feasibility of 400 μg buccal misoprostol after 200 mg mifepristone for early medical abortion in Georgia

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the acceptability and feasibility of early medical abortion using 200 mg mifepristone and 400 μg buccal misoprostol in Georgia, outside the capital city of Tbilisi.

Methods: A total of 622 women in four regions of western and eastern Georgia who presented for termination of pregnancy at up to 63 d of gestation were enrolled in the study. In the western regions, women took one 200 mg pill of mifepristone in the clinic and were given the option of administering 400 μg misoprostol buccally, either at the clinic or at home, 24–48 h later. In the eastern region, women were given the option to take both drugs at home. Abortion status was determined 2 weeks after mifepristone administration.

Results: Ninety-five percent of participants had a successful abortion. Twenty-one percent of women in the eastern region elected to take mifepristone at home; nearly all participants in both regions (98%) chose to take misoprostol at home. Ninety-five percent of women were very satisfied or satisfied with the method, and 95% said they would prefer medical abortion for a future procedure.

Conclusions: Medical abortion with mifepristone and 400 μg buccal misoprostol is an acceptable and feasible option for women in Georgia, outside the capital city of Tbilisi.

Chinese abstract

目的: 这项研究的目的是检测200mg米非司酮和400μg米索前列腺醇口服用于早期药物流产在格鲁吉亚（除外首都第比利斯）的可行性和可接受性。

研究方法: 格鲁吉亚东部和西部的四个地区共有622名提出终止妊娠的妇女纳入到本研究, 最长孕期是63天。在西部地区, 要终止妊娠的妇女会在门诊口服一片剂量为200mg的米非司酮。无论在门诊还是在家里, 她们都有权选择在24—48小时后是否服用400μg米索前列腺醇。在东部地区, 妇女在家里有权选择两种药物都服用。在米非司酮给药2周后确定流产状况。

结果: 95%的参与研究的妇女都能够成功流产。21%的东部地区妇女会选择在家服用米非司酮; 这两个地区的几乎所有参与者（98%）会选择在家服用米非司酮。95%的妇女对这种方法非常满意或满意, 且95%的妇女说以后会选择药物流产。

结论: 对于格鲁吉亚（除外首都第比利斯）的妇女来说, 口服米非司酮加400μg米索前列腺醇用于药物流产是一种可接受且可行的选择。

Keywords:

• Georgia
• medical abortion
• mifepristone
• misoprostol

Acknowledgements

We thank the medical providers and women who participated in the study. We are grateful to Nancy L. Sloan for her assistance with data analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Funding

The study was supported by an anonymous donor.