Further acceptability evaluation of RU486 and ONO 802 as abortifacient agents in a Chinese population

Abstract

Of 144 consecutive women who requested early induced abortion, 99 (68.7%) and 45 (31.3%) women chose RU486 combined with ONO 802 (medical method) and suction evacuation (surgical method), respectively. Logistic regression analysis of covariates showed that age and marital status were significantly correlated with the acceptability and hence the choice of the medical method. There were also more working women in this medical group. Previous experience of induced abortion had no influence on the current choice of the abortion method. This group of women appeared to have a tendency of treating their disease with medication rather than with surgery if the condition would allow. They expressed fear about surgery. The long induction-abortion interval of three days will have to be tolerated, but the duration of bleeding should be minimised in order to improve the acceptability of the drug. RU486 is an alternative abortion method which should be made widely available. | Of 144 consecutive women who requested 1st trimester induced abortion at the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, 99 (68.7%) chose a medical method consisting of RU-486 (mifepristone) combined with ONO 802 (gemeprost) and 45 (31.3%) chose the surgical method of suction evacuation. The study intended to define the profile of women who would accept the RU-486 tablets on day 1, and then on day 3, ONO 802 pessaries were inserted during 6 hours of hospitalization. Follow-up days were 15 and 43 from the day RU-486 was taken. The median age of the medical group was 29 years vs. 33 years for the surgical group. 91% of women in the surgical group were married compared with 67% in the medical group. Significantly more nulliparous women (40%) and single women below the age of 30 years preferred the medical method. The condom was used more often in the medical group (61%), while oral contraceptive pills were used by 55% of women in the surgical group. Significantly more women in the medical group preferred medication to surgery. On day 3, 88 women reported headache, tenderness of breasts, sleep disturbance, palpitation, and weakness, however, only 5 women had intolerable symptoms, and 1 woman was hospitalized because of severe abdominal pain. On day 3, 67 (68%) of women said they were not worried because their abortion had not yet occurred, while 32 women (32%) were worried because they were skeptical about the efficacy of the drug. Comments on days 8, 15, and 43 indicated that 80 women would choose medical abortion again including 4 women who had to undergo suction evacuation because of failed medical abortion. 12 women required subsequent suction evacuation because of incomplete or missed abortion. Single, young, nulliparous Chinese working women are likely to accept RU-486 and ONO 802.