Gynuity Health Projects and Reproductive Health Technologies Project convened an expert meeting looking at the use of misoprostol for abortion induction. Professionals with epidemiological, clinical and programmatic expertise reached consensus on the appropriate use of misoprostol based on the best current information. The results were compiled in a brochure called “Instructions for Use – (IFU).” The information in this document may serve as a basis for the development of clinical practice guidelines and patient and provider education materials. The brochure will be periodically reviewed and updated with new information and research developments.

Gynuity and colleagues compiled a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and their answers aimed at giving medical abortion providers and women’s health advocates the language to discuss the occurrence of severe infections caused by Clostridium sordellii following mifepristone-misoprostol medical abortion so they are able to present the science in an informed and responsible manner.This resource is also available in Spanish and Turkish and can be downloaded by following this link.

This research summary reports on data collected through a series of large-scale trials conducted by Gynuity and colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of misoprostol for postpartum hemorrhage. As part of this study, blood loss after vaginal delivery was collected and measured systematically for over 39,000 deliveries. The summary describes the objective measurement techniques used and key outcomes.

To date, the large body of high-quality scientific work on misoprostol for women’s health has not systematically addressed the importance of route of administration. Often, the use of misoprostol for women’s health indications follows untested practices with different routes of administration. Clinical research comparing different routes of administration for some indications is relatively scarce. Consequently, assertions about the “best” route of administration for a particular indication are often not grounded in scientific evidence. Moreover, many comparisons do not take into account either the population or provider effect on the efficacy or acceptability of a given route. As a result, experts at a previous meeting entitled “Misoprostol: An emerging technology for women’s health” held at the Population Council in New York in May 2001 identified the need for consensus on the clinical importance of route and an examination of the implications of route for future research and drug development. This report describes the outcomes of a subsequent meeting on this issue organized in 2003..

Gynuity is pleased to announce the publication of our new resource for clinicians and women’s health advocates: Misoprostol for Treatment of Incomplete Abortion: An Introductory Guidebook. Misoprostol has many advantages in low-resource settings – it is inexpensive, widely available, thermostable, and offers a low-tech, non-invasive method of uterine evacuation. Based on current scientific evidence, the guidebook offers detailed information about misoprostol for this indication including: Efficacy, safety and acceptability; Eligibility criteria and precautions; Dosing, timing and routes of administration; Visit schedule and management of complications; Counseling and information provision;i Integration of misoprostol into existing PAC services.  In April, 2009, the World Health Organization announced the addition of misoprostol to its Model List of Essential Medicines based on its proven safety and efficacy for the treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage. The recommendation was made by an expert committee that evaluated available evidence, including numerous randomized comparative clinical trials and several guidelines developed by professional associations for this indication.

Gynuity and colleagues compiled a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and their answers aimed at giving medical abortion providers and women’s health advocates the language to discuss the occurrence of severe infections caused by Clostridium sordellii following mifepristone-misoprostol medical abortion so they are able to present the science in an informed and responsible manner. This version summarized available information; a technical version is also available.

This is a list of clinical studies on mifepristone for medical abortion, pregnancy failure and miscarriage, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), pre-eclampsia and STIs/HIV/Infectious disease.

This summary outlines the potential role of a widely available drug (misoprostol) in reducing deaths from postpartum hemorrhage, and describes an initiative to evaluate misoprostol as an alternative therapy for postpartum hemorrhage prevention and treatment. The document lists the potential advantages of misoprostol (as compared to standard treatments) in resource-constrained settings, describes the rationale, objectives, and protocols related to the research efforts, and outlines a set of related project activities to shape policy and share information in support of misoprostol for postpartum hemorrhage.

This issue of Outlook Newsletter, produced by Path with Gynuity Health Projects invited as Guest Editor, focuses on the potential relationship between hormonal contraceptive use and HIV transmission.

This project description summarizes a recently completed study conducted in Pakistan to evaluate misoprostol to prevent postpartum hemorrhage.

This reference list forms the basis for the regimen outlined in the brochure Instructions for Use (IFU): Abortion Induction with Misoprostol in Pregnancies up to 9 Weeks LMP.

As part of our effort to defend mifepristone and medical abortion in the United States, Gynuity and Reproductive Health Technologies Project developed a fact sheet about mifepristone use in the U.S. to provide advocates and policy makers with concise information on regimens, safety and benefits.

Gynuity Health Projects and Reproductive Health Technologies Project convened an expert meeting looking at the use of misoprostol for abortion induction. Professionals with epidemiological, clinical and programmatic expertise reached consensus on the appropriate use of misoprostol based on the best current information. The results were compiled in a brochure called “Instructions for Use – (<span>IFU</span>).” The information in this document may serve as a basis for the development of clinical practice guidelines and patient and provider education materials. The brochure will be periodically reviewed and updated with new information and research developments.

The meeting summarized in this report was organized in 2001 because up until that point a large body of scientific work supporting the use of misoprostol for a range of reproductive and maternal health indications had not been synthesized in an accessible way. As a result, there had been no consensus on the use of misoprostol for women’s health and no strategic agenda for continuing development of the technology. Meeting participants agreed that a major priority for research and policy is creation of a solid clinical science base for all women’s health problems for which misoprostol is effective. Providers must be trained, guidelines created and women educated so that the use of the drug is safe and effective. Finally, a broader policy strategy is necessary to support program development in identified priority areas.

This reference list forms the basis for the regimen outlined in the brochure Instructions for Use (IFU): Misoprostol for Treatment of Incomplete Abortion and Miscarriage.

This research summary describes the results of a series of clinical trials on the use of misoprostol for the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.

Gynuity Health Projects and Reproductive Health Technologies Project convened an expert meeting looking at the use of misoprostol for incomplete abortion and miscarriage in 2004. Professionals with epidemiological, clinical and programmatic expertise reached consensus on the appropriate use of misoprostol based on the best current information. The results can be found in a brochure called “Instructions for Use – (IFU).” The information in this document may serve as a basis for the development of clinical practice guidelines and patient and provider education materials. The brochure was updated in June, 2008 based on new information and research developments.

This research summary describes the results of a knowledge, attitudes and practices survey on abortion and medical abortion conducted with medical providers and women in three urban areas of Armenia in June and July 2007.

This summary describes Gynuity’s body of work in the area of postpartum hemorrhage prevention and treatment.