Use Of Misoprostol For Abortion Research Articles

Quality of information offered to women by drug sellers providing medical abortion in Nigeria: Evidence from providers and their clients.

BackgroundEvidence confirmed that the demand for medical abortion (MA) increased significantly during the COVID-19 outbreak in many developing countries including Nigeria. In an abortion-restrictive setting like Nigeria, local pharmacies, and proprietary patent medicine vendors (PPMVs) continue to play a major role in the provision of MA including misoprostol. There is the need to understand these providers' knowledge about the use of misoprostol for abortion and the quality of information they provide to their clients. This analysis is focused on assessing the quality of care provided by both drug seller types, from drug sellers' and women's perspectives.MethodologyThis study utilized primary data collected from drug sellers (pharmacists and PPMVs) and women across 6 Local Government Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria. The core sample included 126 drug sellers who had sold abortion-inducing drugs and 386 women who procured abortion-inducing drugs from the drug sellers during the time of the study. We calculate quality-of-care indices for the care women received from drug sellers, drawing on WHO guidelines for medication abortion provision. The index based on information from the sellers had two domains—technical competency and information provided to clients, while the index from the women's perspectives includes an additional domain, client experience.ResultsResults show that the majority of drug sellers in the sample, 56% (n = 70), were pharmacists. However, far more than half of women 60% (n = 233) had visited PPMVs. Overall, the total quality score amongst all drug sellers (mean 0.48, SD0.15) was higher than the total score calculated based on women's responses (mean 0.39, SD 0.21). Using our quality-of-care index, pharmacies and PPMVs seem to have similar technical competency (mean score of 0.23, SD 0.13 in both groups (range 0–1), whilst PPMV's performed better on the information provided to client domain (mean score of 0.79, SD 0.17 compared with pharmacies 0.69, SD 0.25). Based on women's reports, PPMVs scored better on both quality of care domains (technical competency and information provided to clients) compared with pharmacies.Program/Policy ImplicationIn resource-constrained settings such as Nigeria, particularly in the context of health emergencies like COVID-19, there is the need to continue to strengthen and engage PPMVs' capacity and skills in dispensing and administration of MA drugs as a harm reduction strategy. Also, there is the need to target frontline providers in pharmacies for training and skill upscale in MA provision.

Misoprostol knowledge and distribution in Mexico City after the change in abortion law: a survey of pharmacy staff

ObjectiveFirst-trimester abortion is widely available in Mexico City since legalisation in 2007, but few data exist surrounding pharmacy staff knowledge and sales practices. We describe misoprostol availability, whether a prescription...

Narratives of women presenting with abortion complications in Southwestern Nigeria: A qualitative study.

Unsafe abortion continues to impact negatively on women’s health in countries with restrictive abortion laws. It remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and morbidity. Paradoxically, modern contraceptive prevalence remains low and the unmet need for contraception continues to mirror unwanted pregnancy rates in many countries within sub-Saharan Africa. This qualitative study assessed women’s knowledge; their expectation and experiences of the methods employed for abortion; and their health care-seeking decisions following a complicated abortion. Women who presented with abortion complications were purposively sampled from seven health facilities in south-west Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted by social scientists with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide. Coding schemes were developed and content analysis was performed with WEFTQDA software. Thirty-one women were interviewed. Misoprostol was used by 16 women; 15 women used other methods. About one-fifth of respondents were aged ≤ 20 years; almost one-third were students. Common reasons for terminating a pregnancy were: “too young/still in school/training”; “has enough number of children”; “last baby too young” and “still breastfeeding”. Women had little knowledge about methods used. Friends, nurses or pharmacists were the commonest sources of information. Awareness about use of misoprostol for abortion among women was high. Women used misoprostol to initiate an abortion and were often disappointed if misoprostol did not complete the abortion process. Given its clandestine manner, women were financially exploited by the abortion providers and only presented to hospitals for post-abortion care as a last resort. Women’s narratives of their abortion experience highlight the difficulties and risks women encounter to safeguard and protect their sexual and reproductive health. To reduce unsafe abortion therefore, urgent and synergized efforts are required to promote prompt access to family planning and post-abortion care services.

Complications with use of misoprostol for abortion in Madagascar: between ease of access and lack of information

ObjectiveThe objective was to learn what complications some women experienced in Madagascar following use of misoprostol for abortion and what treatment they received post misoprostol use. Study designThis was a qualitative study in 2015–2016 among women who had experienced complications after use of misoprostol, with or without additional methods, for abortion; what information they received before use; what dosage and regimens they used; what complications they experienced; and what treatment they received postuse. We initially conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 60 women who had undergone an abortion that resulted in complications. The results presented here are based on interviews with the subset of 19 women who had used misoprostol. ResultsThe 19 women were aged 16–40, with an average age of 21–26 at interview and average age of 18–21 at abortion. To obtain an abortion, they sought advice from partners, friends, family members, and/or traditional practitioners and health care providers. Misoprostol was easily accessible through the formal and informal sectors, but the dosages and regimens the women used on the advice of others were extremely variable, did not match WHO guidelines and were apparently ineffective, resulting in failed abortion, incomplete abortion, heavy bleeding/hemorrhage, strong pain and/or infection. ConclusionsThis study provides data on complications from the use of misoprostol as an abortifacient in Madagascar. Health care providers need training in correct misoprostol use and how to treat complications. Law and policy reforms are needed to support such training and to ensure the provision of safe abortion services in the public health system. ImplicationsHealth care providers who provide abortion care and treatment of abortion complications need training in correct misoprostol use and treatment of complications. Women and pharmacy workers also need this information. Law and policy reforms are needed to allow training and provision of safe services. Further research is needed on the extent and impact of incorrect misoprostol administration.

Abortion in two francophone African countries: a study of whether women have begun to use misoprostol in Benin and Burkina Faso

ObjectivesThis study aimed to document the means women use to obtain abortions in the capital cities of Benin and Burkina Faso, and to learn whether or not use of misoprostol has become an alternative to other methods of abortion, and the implications for future practice. Study designWe conducted in-depth, qualitative interviews between 2014 and 2015 with 34 women – 21 women in Cotonou (Benin) and 13 women in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) – about their pathways to abortion. To obtain a diverse sample in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, we recruited the women through our own knowledge networks, in health facilities where women are treated for unsafe abortion complications, and in schools in Benin. ResultsThe 34 women had had 69 abortions between them. Twenty-five of the women had had 37 abortions in the previous 5 years; the other abortions were 5–20 years before. Pathways to abortion were very different in the two cities. Lengthy and difficult pathways with unsafe methods often led to complications in Ougadougou, whereas most Cotonou women went to small, private health centers. Six of the 37 abortions in the previous 5 years involved misoprostol use, and were all among educated women with significant social and economic capital and personal contact with clinicians. ConclusionsUse of misoprostol for abortion has appeared in both Cotonou and Ougadougou in the past 5 years. Evidence that the use of misoprostol for abortion occurred among women with the most access to information and resources in this study suggests that increased awareness of and use of misoprostol in both countries is likely in the coming years. ImplicationsAlthough no pharmaceutical company that produces misoprostol has as yet tried to obtain marketing authorization in either Burkina Faso or Benin for gynecological-obstetric indications, making its use more potential than actual for the time being, international advocacy for access to medical abortion is growing rapidly and is likely to lead to many changes in this picture in the coming years.

Misoprostol in women's hands: a harm reduction strategy for unsafe abortion

On any given day in Cuernavaca, Cape Town, Quezon City or Calcutta, a woman with an unwanted pregnancy seeks out misoprostol to have an abortion. She does not visit a doctor or clinic but seeks a pill that she has heard can help her end her pregnancy without the risks of more dangerous self-induction methods. Women living in legally restricted settings where they do not have access to high-quality safe services or where stigma, cost or other barriers prevent them from accessing existing services are increasingly using misoprostol to selfinduce abortion instead of using sticks, acid, brute force or unproven herbal remedies. In doing so, they are significantly reducing the harms caused by unsafe abortion. Harm reduction is an evidence-based public health and human rights framework that prioritizes strategies to reduce harm and preserve health in situations where policies and practices prohibit, stigmatize and drive common human activities underground. The best-known application of a harm reduction model is in the field of HIV, where needle exchange programs and safe injection centers have been shown to be highly effective in preventing HIV/sexually transmitted infection. We propose that promoting the use of misoprostol for abortion using a harm reduction approach could dramatically increase access to safer abortions. The principles of harm reduction — neutrality, humanism and pragmatism — present a conceptual framework for making misoprostol information andcareavailable directlytowomen and make the case for why it is imperative that we do so.

Aborto e misoprostol: usos médicos, práticas de saúde e controvérsia científica

This article puts into perspective the controversy between the association of the use of misoprostol for abortion and teratogenicity studies of the type found in a case report. The use of herbal medicinal drugs and the medical-obstetric and national and international norms governing the registration and circulation of pharmaceutical products were examined. Official documents of ANVISA, the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization on the use of misoprostol, as well as 68 articles such as case reports published in national journals, linking abortion, misoprostol and teratogenicity were reviewed, systematically filed and analyzed using the monographic method. The legal prohibition of abortion prevents the proper prescription and use of a drug such as misoprostol that is both safe and effective. Thus, the danger for the health of women is linked not to the intrinsic characteristics of the drug, but to the moral arguments that constitute negligence and disregard for the fundamental rights of women.

Pharmacy worker practices related to use of misoprostol for abortion in one Mexican state

Background Pharmacies are important sites for access to health information and medications in Mexico. Most workers are not trained in health issues and may provide inaccurate information to consumers. Misoprostol is used by women throughout Mexico for early abortion and often is purchased from pharmacies. This study aims to understand the practices of pharmacy workers when asked for advice about and medications for abortion, in particular misoprostol. Study Design A random sample of pharmacies in both urban and rural areas of one state of Mexico included both chain and independent pharmacies ( n=169). Two mystery clients (MCs) visited the pharmacies, requesting medication for “bringing down the period” and then asking for misoprostol. MCs recorded information about the interactions following each visit in standardized formats. Bivariate comparisons were made between spontaneous and prompted discussions of misoprostol. Associations were considered statistically significant at α<.05. Results Ninety percent of pharmacy workers attending to the MCs discussed misoprostol as an abortifacient, either spontaneously or after being prompted by the MCs. Misoprostol was for sale in most (61%) of these pharmacies. The majority of pharmacy workers (75%) did not request a prescription. Over 75% of all pharmacy workers provided the MCs referral to trained medical providers with whom they could seek a follow-up visit. Sixteen percent of pharmacy workers suggested a regimen consistent with evidence and recommendations for using misoprostol for early abortion. Regimens that were underdosages were common, and few workers recommended a potentially harmful overdosage. Instructions about side effects and risks were rare. The price of misoprostol ranged from 900 to 1800 pesos (US$83–167) for a bottle of 28 tablets (200 mcg each) or US$4.07 per tablet, on average. Conclusions Pharmacy workers in both urban and rural areas of Mexico are increasingly becoming aware of misoprostol as an effective abortifacient and are willing to provide the information to consumers. However, their information is limited and often inaccurate. Strategies need to be developed so that they receive timely and correct information, consistent with evidence-based recommendations. The legal context of abortion in Mexico (with restrictions in every state, except Mexico City), the restricted registration of misoprostol as a therapeutic agent only for gastric ulcers and the fact that the majority of pharmacy workers are not considered to be health workers are among the most important barriers to advances in training pharmacy workers in the correct application of misoprostol.

The use of misoprostol for abortion at ≤ 9 weeks' gestation

Objective To verify the efficacy and safety of misoprostol for abortion at ≤ 63 days' gestation.Method A total of 175 women seeking elective abortion at < 63 days' gestation received 800 μg of misoprostol vaginally. This dose was repeated at 48 and 96 h if abortion did not occur. Afterwards, up to three additional 600-or 400-μg doses of misoprostol were administered if the uterus was not empty, as judged by ultrasound. Outcome measures included successful abortion (complete abortion without requiring a surgical procedure), side-effects and vaginal bleeding.Results Complete abortion occurred in 161/175 (92.0%; 95% CI 87-96%) subjects and 14/175 (8.0%; 95% CI 4-13%) cases failed. The immediate success rate was 77.7% with the first dose, 13.7% with the second dose and 0.6% with the third dose. The decrease in hemoglobin was statistically significant (p = 0.009) but without clinical relevance; before treatment: 11.94 mg/dl (SD 1.60) and after treatment: 11.64 mg/dl (SD 1.08). No significant differences were obtained between success rates and failures in relation to age, gravidity, parity, previous abortions, race, gestational age and side-effects. The third main dose of misoprostol showed very little efficacy. Vaginal bleeding lasted 5.5 ± 2.8 days, spotting 5.7 ±3.1 days and total bleeding 11.2 ± 3.0 days.Conclusions The success percentage attained shows that 800 μg of misoprostol administered vaginally effectively causes abortion at ≤63 days' gestation.