by Jessica L Morris, Beverly Winikoff, Rasha Dabash, Andrew Weeks, Aníibal Faúndes, Kristina Gemzell‐Danielsson, Nathalie Kapp, Laura Castleman, Caron Kim, Pak Chung Ho, Gerard HA Visser
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2017;138:363-66. (Open access)
This report provides the most up-to-date information on the use of misoprostol alone for induced abortion, induction of labour and post-partum use. The table below gives this information. The article explains, based on the available evidence, how the authors took decisions on what to recommend. The most important point to make as regards the regimens recommended is that it is now possible to cause a complete abortion with misoprostol 100% of the time by using repeat doses.
The recommendations have been endorsed by the FIGO Prevention of Unsafe Abortion Working Group and the FIGO Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health Committee, and approved by the FIGO officers.
Anyone planning to provide women with pills or advise them how to use the pills should read the explanations in the article on number of doses, route of administration, dealing with complications and when to avoid certain forms of use.
The abbreviations for the recommended routes of administration of misoprostol in the infographics below are:
- pv = per vaginum = vaginal administration
- sl = sublingual (under the tongue)
- po = oral (+ swallow with water)
- bucc = buccal (in the cheeks)
