Comparison of Oral Versus Vaginal Misoprostol for Legal Abortion in Iranian Women

Abstract

Background: Considering the different available results on effectiveness of various doses of misoprostol and different methods of administration, as well as legal issues of abortion in Iran, the aim of this study was to compare oral and vaginal misoprostol for legal abortion in pregnant women. Methods: This randomized double-blind clinical trial study was performed on 70 pregnant women applying for abortion referring to Besat Hospital in Sanandaj in 2014 - 2015. Pregnant women were divided randomly into two oral misoprostol and vaginal misoprostol groups by simple sampling. In both groups, misoprostol 200 μg every 6 hours up to six times (36 hours) was used. To make the study double-blind, placebo was used. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire. The effectiveness of misoprostol (the excretion of gestation products) and its side effects (bleeding, fever, etc.) were studied in two groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS Ver.18 software, t -test, Chi-square test and Fisher exact test. Results: The results showed that there were no significant differences statistically between oral (82.3%) and vaginal (80%) misoprostol groups in terms of response to treatment (the excretion of gestation products). Although in our study, the need for curettage in the vaginal group (42.8) was higher than oral group (34.3), the difference was not statistically significant. Intervals of consuming oral misoprostol pills to the excretion of gestation products in the oral and vaginal groups were 4.09 ± 1.56 and 3.67 ± 1.4 hours, respectively (P > 0.05). In terms of complications, only two cases of oral misoprostol group experienced complications. Conclusions: Although the risk of complications in oral method and the need for curettage in vaginal group is high, effectiveness of oral and vaginal misoprostol for induction of legal abortion is similar. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2016;5(2):59-63 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jcgo406e