A study by the World Health Organization is a Randomized Controlled Trial to compare the effectiveness of medication for terminating pregnancy (abortion pills) by taking 200 milligrams of mifepristone, followed 2 hours later by 400 or 800 micrograms of misoprostol, administered vaginally or sublingually.
The study was conducted in 15 clinics in obstetrics and gynecology departments in 10 countries worldwide, including Thailand. The study population consisted of women with a gestational age of no more than 63 days or 9 weeks, who could terminate their pregnancy under the legal conditions of each country and the criteria set in the study. A total of 3,005 participants were involved in the study.
The study found that 90.5% successfully terminated their pregnancy after using 400 micrograms of misoprostol, and 94.2% after using 800 micrograms of misoprostol. Additionally, it was found that using 400 micrograms of misoprostol had a significantly higher chance of incomplete abortion compared to using 800 micrograms of misoprostol. Regarding side effects, using vaginally administered misoprostol resulted in fewer side effects than sublingual administration (Hertzen von H et al, 2010).
When analyzing the study results specifically for Thailand, conducted at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, in 2008, with a total of 188 female participants under the same conditions, it was found that in the group of women using sublingual misoprostol, 91.5% successfully terminated their pregnancy with 400 micrograms of misoprostol, and 89.4% in women using 800 micrograms of misoprostol. For vaginally administered misoprostol, 87.2% successfully terminated their pregnancy with 400 micrograms of misoprostol, and 97.9% successfully terminated their pregnancy in women using 800 micrograms of misoprostol (Piaggio, 2009).
Source:
Medical Termination of Pregnancy in Thailand, Bureau of Reproductive Health, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health