Self-assessment of success of early medical abortion using a self-performed urine pregnancy test

Abstract

Purpose: The European Society of Contraception Expert Group on Abortion identified as one of its priorities the need to disseminate up-to-date evidence-based information on the use of urine pregnancy tests by women for the self assessment of the success of early medical abortion (EMA).

Methods and materials: A concise communication was produced which summarises the latest research in an easy-to-read format suitable for busy clinicians. Information about individual urinary pregnancy tests is presented in boxes for ease of reference.

Results: Urinary pregnancy tests (low sensitivity, high sensitivity and multilevel) can be used in combination with signs and symptoms of pregnancy to exclude an ongoing pregnancy after EMA.

Conclusion: Women are able to determine the success of early medical abortion (EMA) themselves using a combination of signs, symptoms and a urine pregnancy test. This simplifies EMA, expands the range of professionals able to provide EMA and most importantly gives women greater control over their bodies and treatment.

摘要

目的：欧洲避孕学会流产专家组确定了其优先事项之一, 即需要传播关于女性采用尿妊娠试验的最新循证信息, 以便对早期药物流产（EMA）的成功进行自我评估。

方法与材料：制作了简洁的沟通, 以易于阅读的格式总结了最新的研究, 适合忙碌的临床医生。有关个人自行尿妊娠试验的信息在方框中呈现, 以便于参考。

结果：尿妊娠试验（低敏感性, 高灵敏度和多水平）可与妊娠的体征和症状结合采用, 以排除EMA后持续妊娠。

结论：女性能够自己通过结合体征、症状和尿妊娠试验来确定EMA的成功。这简化了EMA, 扩大了能够提供EMA专业人员的范围, 最重要的是使女性能够更好地控制自己的身体和治疗。

Keywords:

• Medical abortion
• low sensitivity urine pregnancy test
• multilevel urine pregnancy test
• human chorionic gonadotrophin
• medical abortion follow up

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.