Women undergoing early medical abortion who chose to expel the pregnancy at home do not have a higher rate of unscheduled reattendance with a related complication than those who remain in hospital.
Researchers conducted a retrospective audit of 1,128 women who underwent medical abortion at up to 64 days gestation, between January and September 2010.
Some 590 (52%) of the women studied chose early medical discharge – to expel the pregnancy at home. Of these women, 23 (4%) made an unscheduled reattendance with an abortion-related complication within six weeks.
Of those who remained in hospital, 20 women (also 4%) made an unscheduled reattendance.
Study lead Dr Sharan Cameron, from consultant in reproductive health at the Chambers Health Centre in Edinburgh, said: ‘Allowing women to go home soon after misoprostol is safe and does not impact upon the emergency service any more than an existing day case medical abortion service already does.'
J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care (2011)
