What do systematic reviews say?

Medical abortion administered by nurses vs by doctors

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 1068 participants
  Low

Oral misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Oral misoprostol probably leads to higher failure to achieve complete abortion compared with vaginal misoprostol (moderate certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.38 [1.46, 3.87]
  3 studies · 1704 participants
  Moderate
• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.68 [1.56, 8.71]
  2 studies · 216 participants
  Low

Oral misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Oral misoprostol may leads to higher nausea compared with vaginal misoprostol (low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.14 [1.03, 1.26]
  2 studies · 1380 participants
  Low
• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.21 [0.92, 1.61]
  2 studies · 216 participants
  Low

Oral misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found
• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.25 [0.65, 2.39]
  1 study · 100 participants
  Low

Mifepristone (600 mg) plus prostaglandin vs mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin

Mifepristone (600 mg) plus prostaglandin showed no clear difference in nausea compared with mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin (moderate certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.95, 1.09]
  2 studies · 2432 participants
  Moderate

Oral misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found
• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Sublingual misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Sublingual misoprostol showed no clear difference in failure to achieve complete abortion compared with vaginal misoprostol (moderate certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.68 [0.22, 2.11]
  2 studies · 3229 participants
  Moderate

Sublingual misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Sublingual misoprostol showed no clear difference in nausea compared with vaginal misoprostol (moderate certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.11 [0.93, 1.33]
  3 studies · 3543 participants
  Moderate

Sublingual misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Sublingual misoprostol showed no clear difference in women's dissatisfaction with the procedure compared with vaginal misoprostol (moderate certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.67 [0.8, 3.5]
  2 studies · 3303 participants
  Moderate

Sublingual misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Mifepristone alone vs mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin

It is very uncertain whether mifepristone alone changes failure to achieve complete abortion compared with mifepristone/prostaglandin (very low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.25 [0.81, 13.09]
  3 studies · 273 participants
  Very low

Mifepristone alone vs mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Mifepristone alone vs mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Mifepristone alone vs mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Prostaglandin vs combined regimen

Prostaglandin alone may leads to higher failure to achieve complete abortion compared with combined regimen (low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.39 [1.89, 3.02]
  18 studies · 3471 participants
  Low

Mifepristone (600 mg) plus prostaglandin vs mifepristone (200 mg) plus prostaglandin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Prostaglandin vs combined regimen

Prostaglandin alone showed no clear difference in nausea compared with combined regimen (low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.9 [0.74, 1.1]
  12 studies · 2722 participants
  Low

Prostaglandin vs combined regimen

Prostaglandin alone showed no clear difference in women's dissatisfaction with the procedure compared with combined regimen (low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.65 [0.75, 3.64]
  5 studies · 1485 participants
  Low

Prostaglandin vs combined regimen

Prostaglandin alone showed no clear difference in blood transfusion compared with combined regimen (low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.33 [0.03, 3.13]
  1 study · 300 participants
  Low

Sublingual misoprostol vs vaginal misoprostol

Sublingual misoprostol alone showed no clear difference in failure to achieve complete abortion compared with vaginal misoprostol alone (low certainty).

• Medical methods for first trimester abortion 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.69 [0.37, 1.28]
  5 studies · 2705 participants
  Low