Oral misoprostol for the management of incomplete abortion in Ecuador

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of introducing misoprostol for the treatment of incomplete abortion in Quito, Ecuador.MethodsIn a randomized prospective study conducted at a large tertiary-level maternity hospital and a private secondary-level clinic between November 2006 and November 2007, women with incomplete abortion were treated with either 600 μg of oral misoprostol (n = 122) or manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) (n = 120). All participants were requested to return for follow-up care on day 7 to determine the success of the treatment and to document their satisfaction with the method and the adverse effects experienced.ResultsSixteen percent of women (39/242) did not return for their follow-up visit and their outcomes are unknown. Among those who did return, 94% (100/106) of women showed successful completion of abortion after treatment with misoprostol, as compared with 100% (97/97) of women treated with MVA. Most women described their adverse effects after treatment as tolerable (misoprostol, 95%; MVA, 91%). Nearly all women reported being satisfied with their treatment (196/203); there were no differences among the women's reports of satisfaction according to treatment received.ConclusionAn oral dose of 600 μg of misoprostol was found to be an acceptable and effective non-surgical option for treating incomplete abortion. Clinical trials.gov NCT00674232.