[Medical termination of pregnancy with mifepristone--initial experience at the Sheba Medical Center].

Objective: To assess the early implementation of medical termination of pregnancy as an alternative treatment option for women in early pregnancy who wish to avoid a surgical procedure.
Methods: The use of mifepristone (RU-486) for medical termination was recently approved in Israel. We performed a prospective follow-up study of the 189 women who underwent medical termination of pregnancy with mifepristone and misoprostol in our center between January 2000 and April 2001.
Results: Complete outcome data was obtained for 176 women. Within this group 152 women (86.4%) did not need any surgical procedure to complete the abortion. Uterine curettage was performed in 17 (9.6%) and operative hysteroscopy in 7 (4.0%) of the women because of incomplete abortion or suspected residua of pregnancy.
Conclusion: Medical abortion offers an efficient and safe treatment option to women who wish to avoid surgical evacuation.