A prospective cohort study conducted in Nepal explored the feasibility and acceptability of outpatient medical induction for abortion at 13–18 weeks gestation in public sector hospitals. The study enrolled 120 participants who received 200 mg of mifepristone, followed by 400 mcg of buccal misoprostol administered 24–48 hours later at home, 1–2 hours before their outpatient clinic visit. Participants continued receiving repeated doses of misoprostol every three hours at the clinic until expulsion was complete.

Key findings include:

• Success Rate: 82% of participants completed the abortion on an outpatient basis.
• Efficiency: The median induction-to-abortion time was approximately five hours.
• Safety: No serious adverse events were reported, underscoring the procedure’s safety profile.
• Acceptability: Satisfaction with the process was high among participants.

This study demonstrates that outpatient medical induction at 13–18 weeks is a viable and patient-accepted model, potentially enhancing the efficiency of services and expanding access to safe abortion care in resource-limited settings. The results could serve as a framework for scaling up similar approaches in other regions.

Learn more at Gynuity Health Projects.