Objective: To assess the efficacy and acceptability of home administration of misoprostol for early medical abortion in Indian family planning clinics.
Methods: In this prospective cohort study, consenting pregnant women (n=599) with amenorrhea of 8 weeks or less seeking termination of pregnancy received 200mg of oral mifepristone followed 48 hours later with 400microg of oral misoprostol, administered either at home or at the clinic.
Results: Almost all women (88.4%) chose to take misoprostol home. There was no statistical difference in success rates between home and clinic users (89.0% vs 92.4%, Pearson chi(2)=0.7; P=0.395). Most women in both the home (90.7%) and clinic (92.3%) groups were satisfied or very satisfied with the procedure.
Conclusion: Home administration of misoprostol is safe and feasible for introduction into medical abortion services in India.