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Human Reproduction, Vol. 17, No. 1, 99-102, January 2002
© 2002 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

The effect of contraceptive pills on the measured blood loss in medical termination of pregnancy by mifepristone and misoprostol: a randomized placebo controlled trial

Oi Shan Tang1,3, Jieshuang Xu2, Linan Cheng2, Sharon W.H. Lee1 and Pak Chung Ho1

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR and 2 Shanghai Institute of Family Planning Technical Instruction, International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, China Welfare Institute, Shanghai, People's Republic of China

BACKGROUND: A prospective randomized placebo controlled trial was performed to assess the immediate use of oral contraceptive (OC) on the amount of blood loss in the post-abortion period in women undergoing medical abortion by mifepristone and misoprostol. METHODS: One hundred women were randomized by computer to receive either OC pills or placebo, immediately after medical abortion. RESULTS: There was no difference in the complete abortion rate between the two groups. The complete abortion rate was 98 and 92% in the OC and placebo groups respectively. The side-effects and duration of bleeding were also similar. The median days of vaginal bleeding were 17 (range: 3–41) and 15 (range: 5–48) in the OC and placebo groups respectively. There was a statistically significant decrease in the mean haemoglobin level on day 15 in the OC group (from 12.0 to 11.5 g/dl) whereas the mean haemoglobin level in the placebo group remained stable. The median measured blood loss was 69.9 ml in the OC group and 72.8 ml in the placebo group and there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that it is safe to offer women combined OC pills immediately after medical abortion as an option of contraception, as it does not affect the duration or amount of vaginal bleeding or the complete abortion rate.

Key words: measured blood loss/mifepristone/misoprostol/OC pills

3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: 6/F, Professorial Block, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. E-mail: ostang{at}graduate.hku.hk


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