Report from the Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care AGM, May 2003: Medical termination of pregnancy in the late first trimester.

In the UK, mifepristone and gemeprost are licensed for medical termination of pregnancy (TOP) in the first trimester up to 63 days' amenorrhoea. Current practice, however, is to use low-dose (200 mg) mifepristone and misoprostol. We report a large cohort study using these drugs for medical TOP in the first trimester after 63 days amenorrhoea. Of 415 patients undergoing the procedure, 392 (95%) aborted completely and 96% required only two doses of misoprostol. We conclude that the regime is effective with few complications, however certain safeguards may be necessary for its widespread introduction