OBJECTIVES: to ascertain the frequency and severity of complications resulting from artificial abortions and their possible association with the use of misoprostol. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out. For ten months, a checklist (of World Health Organization criteria) was applied to all 543 women admitted to hospital for abortion at two hospitals in the city of Campinas, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Those classified as having a possibly, pro-bably or certainly artificial abortion were asked to fill in the questionnaire. RESULTS: of all the women admitted to hospital, 259 (48%) were classified as possibly, probably or certainly having an induced abortion and these filled in the questionnaire; 25 women stated that they had induced the abortion and, of these, nine mentioned the use of misoprostol. Infections and hemorrhaging were complications in 10% and 13% of the 259 women. Those who used misoprostol had fewer complications than those who used other methods, although this difference was not statistically significant, perhaps for reason of the low frequency for complications. CONCLUSIONS: the data show a reduction in the frequency and severity of complications arising from abortion, although it is not possible to point to the use of misoprosol as being responsible for this.
Abortion, induced; Misoprostol
