A Comparison of the Cervical Dilatation and Side Effects of Oral and Vaginal Administration of Misoprostol in the First-trimester Pregnancy Interruption

Chung, H W; Lee, H H; Choi, S D; Shin, J O; Lee, H J; Lee, J J; Nam, K H; Lee, I S; Lee, K H

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To compare the effect of misoprosotol on the cervical dilatation and the side effects according to the route of administration in the first trimester therapeutic abortion.
METHODS
This study was made on 66 patients for therapeutic abortion except incomplete abortion at department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soonchunhyang University Hospital from March 1996 to February 1998. Thirty one women received 200microgram of misoprostol tablet and thirty five women received 100microgram of misoprostol as powder in the posterior vaginal fornix before 12 hours of curettage in the first trimester pregnancy. The extent of cervical dilatation was measured with Hegar dilatator and the side effects such as nausea, vomitting, diarrhea, tachycardia, hypotention, abdominal pain and vaginal spotting were compared.
RESULTS
The effect of cervical dilatation was not statistically different between the groups[oral misoprostol : 87% versus vaginal misoprostol : 89%]. The occurrence of vomiting, diarrhea, tachycardia and hypotension were none in both groups. Nausea was occurred only in the women receiving oral misoprostol[16%]. Abdominal pain was less frequent in the women receiving oral misoprostol than in those vaginal insertion [19.3% versus 22.9%]. Vaginal spotting was less frequent in the women receiving oral misoprostol than in those vaginal insertion[25.8% versus 45.7%]. But the amount of vaginal bleeding was only minimal, it was not clinically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
There were no significant difference the cervical dilatation and side effects between the oral and vaginal administration of misoprostol except for vaginal spotting and nausea.