32. EXPERIENCE OF EARLY MEDICAL ABORTION IN A REGIONAL CENTRE

Abstract

Access to abortion services is often severely limited in parts of regional Australia, including north Queensland. In December 2005 one of the authors made a joint application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for approval to prescribe and supply the drug mifepristone (RU486) for the purpose of induced abortion. This was successful, and to date 10 medical abortions using a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol have been carried out.

Clinicians at the Cairns Sexual Health Service have been unable to prescribe mifepristone, but since April 2006 have been using a combination of methotrexate and misoprostol to perform medical abortions up to 9 weeks' gestation. To date 16 have been performed. The mean age of patients undergoing the procedure was 25 (range 17-36) with the indications being for mental health and/or psychosocial reasons. The gestational age at abortion ranged from 4-8 weeks. One woman required a surgical abortion for an unsuccessful medical abortion.

The procedure, whether using mifepristone of methotrexate, is generally well-tolerated and has been shown to be safe. The clinical outcomes will be presented in detail.