The use of mifepristone as emergency contraceptions method

Aim: To investigate the efficacy, safety and possible complications after mifepristone administration to women as emergency contraception method.

Material and methods: 50 mg of mifepristone were administered to 30 women as a contraception method from April 2010 to December 2015. Those women were evaluated clinically and by using laboratories means for a month to evaluate: Pregnancy rate, occurrence of disorders of the following menstruation and occurrence of side-effects and their seriousness.

Women were examined using transvaginal U/S, and were tested for levels of β-hCG, LH, estradiol, progesterone, the day of mifeprestone administration. The same tests were repeated every week until the occurrence of the subsequent menstruation.

Results: Pregnancy occurred in none of the thirty women. The weekly tests of β-hCG were all negative. In sixteen women in the luteal phase (PRG> 2.0 ng/ml), mettrorrhagia occurred and was followed by normal menstruation after 10 – 12 days.

In fourteen women in the follicular phase (PRG< 1.5 ng/ml) menstruation was delayed for 3 – 4 days due to ovulation delay.

Reported side effects including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. Their duration and seriousness was described as not important and medical treatment was not necessary.

Conclusions: Mifepristone administration can be considered as an accepted emergency contraceptive method with high safety, low rate of side effects and has similar costs to other established contraceptive methods.