Mifepristone and Misoprostol for Undesired Pregnancy of Unknown Location
Status:
Not yet recruiting
Trial end date:
2024-09-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Patients who seek medication abortion early in pregnancy may have an ultrasound that does not
show a pregnancy in the uterus. This is known as a "pregnancy of unknown location". These
patients most likely have a pregnancy in the uterus that is too early to be seen on
ultrasound, but it is possible that the pregnancy is not seen inside the uterus because it is
outside of the uterus, known as an ectopic pregnancy. Patients with ectopic pregnancies are
at risk for serious complications, and the medications used for medication abortion may not
end an ectopic pregnancy.
Currently, at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM), patients seeking medication
abortion, including some patients with a pregnancy of unknown location, are given
mifepristone to begin the medication abortion at the clinic and then one dose of misoprostol
to take at home to cause the pregnancy to pass. However, research suggests that a second dose
of misoprostol leads to a higher rate of completed abortion for certain patients.
This research is being conducted to learn if two doses of the at-home misoprostol during the
medication abortion process leads to a higher rate of completed abortion for patients with
pregnancy of unknown location. In this study, all participants will receive mifepristone as
they normally would. Then, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either one dose
of misoprostol or two doses of misoprostol.