( hoose the drug again if they needed to...)Drug Offers Alternative to Surgical Treatment After Miscarriage

Dr. Zhang noted that, because misoprostol causes uterine contractions, treatment with the drug could bring about abdominal pain and cramping. The researchers treated minor pain caused by the treatment with ibuprofen and treated more intense pain with codeine.

He added that the misoprostol treatment provided an effective alternative for women who preferred to avoid the surgical procedure. Moreover, because it could be performed on an out-patient basis, the misoprostol treatment was less expensive and could provide women more privacy and convenience than vacuum aspiration. Roughly one in four women experience miscarriage, so the availability of a non-surgical treatment may provide an effective alternative for many women, he added.

“Misoprostol is inexpensive and does not need to be refrigerated,?Dr. Zhang said. “It could provide treatment for miscarriage in developing countries where safe surgical treatment may not be readily accessible.?/p>

Other authors of the study were Jerry M. Gilles, M.D., the University of Miami, Florida; Kurt Barnhart, MD, MSCE, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Mitchell D. Creinin, M.D., the University of Pittsburgh; Carolyn Westhoff, M.D., Columbia University, New York; and Margaret M. Frederick, Ph.D., Clinical Trials and Surveys Corporation, Baltimore, M.D.

The NICHD is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the biomedical research arm of the federal government. NIH is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) ?The Nation's Medical Research Agency ?is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health an
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Source:NIH