ABSTRACT
A randomised controlled trial was conducted to compare the relative efficacies of two regimens: Misoprostol given only vaginally or orally followed by vaginal administration of the same drug, for second trimester abortion. Multiparous women with a pregnancy of 16 to 20 weeks with no contra-indications to the drug were selected. They were randomly allocated into two groups. Patients in the first group, the 'only vaginal misoprostol' group (n = 30), were given misoprostol 400 microg 6 hourly only through vaginal route up to a maximum of 4 such doses. Women in the other group, the 'oral plus vaginal misoprostol' group (n = 24), received 400 microg of the drug at intervals of 12 hours for 2 doses, followed by 400 microg 6 hourly per vaginum up to a maximum of 4 such. Ten units of oxytocin was started in all cases when os was 4 cm dilated. Complete expulsion was 83.33% with an average time of 13.28 hours in the only vaginal misoprostol group. Complete expulsion occurred in 87.5% of women receiving oral followed by vaginal misoprostol with an average time of 8.93 +/- 0.01 hours from the first vaginal dose (p<0.05). More importantly, 66.67% women in second group delivered within 10 hours of the vaginal dose. Complete expulsion was defined in those cases where no check curettage was needed. Side-effects were not significant. This implies that misoprostol given by the vaginal route following oral priming doses had a higher success rate and a potential for a reduced hospital stay and higher bed turn-over rate.