Anthropometric characteristics and success rates of oral or vaginal misoprostol for pregnancy termination in the first and second trimesters

Abstract 

Objective

To assess the effect of anthropometric characteristics related to weight on medical pregnancy termination with misoprostol.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, 454 women admitted for medical pregnancy termination in the first or second trimester took 400µg of misoprostol sublingually plus 800µg of misoprostol vaginally or orally. The regimen was readministered after 24hours if there was no response or the abortion was incomplete, and surgical evacuation was done when needed. Linear regression was performed for possible correlations between the studied characteristics and treatment process and outcome.

Results

There was no correlation between the number of misoprostol administrations and any of the studied anthropometric characteristics. The numbers of both misoprostol administrations and surgical interventions were associated with oral administration.

Conclusion

The route of misoprostol administration, but not anthropometric characteristics related to weight, were found to be associated with the success of pregnancy termination with misoprostol.

Keywords: Anthropometric characteristics, Misoprostol, Oral administration, Pregnancy termination, Vaginal administration