Comparison of Telephone Follow-up With In-person Follow-up After Medical Abortion

NCT ID: NCT01943279

Last Updated: 2014-12-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

139 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2011-07-31

Study Completion Date

2014-12-31

Brief Summary

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Background: Medical abortions in Canada are provided using a standard regimen of methotrexate and misoprostol. After these medications are administered, patients are most commonly checked for termination of the pregnancy with an ultrasound and physical examination at an in-clinic follow-up appointment. These follow-up appointments can be inconvenient, costly, and take away from patient privacy. Furthermore, it has been suggested that these follow-up appointments may not be necessary for patients.

Objective: To determine whether remote follow-up, using telephone and blood testing is a feasible, safe, and effective method of follow-up after medical abortion, compared to standard care that requires an in-clinic visit and ultrasound.

This study offers women the option of remote follow-up by telephone combined with serum Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) testing or standard in-clinic follow up. We will determine women's preferences for follow up, and compare adherence to the follow-up schedule, number of clinical contacts, and outcomes of the abortion. This study will be performed at two clinics in Toronto, the Bay Centre for Birth Control (BCBC) and the Choice in Health Clinic (CIHC).

Primary Hypothesis: Follow-up will be more successful with RFU, compared to SFU.

Detailed Description

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The protocol is altered for women who have an ultrasound that shows only a gestational sac (no yolk sac or fetal pole). Women in both follow-up groups will have β-hCG testing on the day of methotrexate injection and again in 8 days. If the level does not fall by 50% or they have concerning symptoms, they are asked to return to clinic for evaluation. If the β-hCG level falls by 50% or more, they will continue to be followed as per the protocol in their chosen group, but will be followed until their β-hCG becomes negative.

Conditions

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Medical; Abortion, Fetus

Keywords

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medical abortion telephone follow-up ultrasound serum hCG methotrexate misoprostol

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Standard Follow-up (SFU)

Women selecting SFU at either site (BCBC or CIHC) will schedule their in-person follow-up appointment before leaving the BCBC clinic on Study Day 1, when they receive their medication. In-person follow-up appointment will be scheduled for Study Day 15 (± 3 days)where, as per usual care, includes a history and a Post-abortion Checklist, transvaginal ultrasound, and a bimanual exam to confirm successful pregnancy expulsion.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Standard Follow-up (SFU)

Intervention Type OTHER

Study Day 15 (± 3 days)requires an in-person post-abortion checkup: transvaginal ultrasound, and a bimanual exam to confirm successful pregnancy expulsion.

Remote Follow-up (RFU)

On Study Day 1 in both sites, women selecting RFU will receive 3 laboratory requisition forms for serum β-hCG testing and will be instructed to have testing done at a laboratory site of her choice on Study Day 10-12. The follow-up telephone appointment will be scheduled to take place on Study Day 15 (±3 days). For the follow-up telephone appointment, the research nurse/nurse practitioner will calculate the percentage fall in the β-hCG value. She will contact the subject by phone at the specified time, take a history of the timing of misoprostol use, resulting symptoms and complete the symptom Post-abortion Check-list. The research nurse/nurse practitioner, in consultation with the clinic physician if necessary, will confirm the information, determine whether other follow-up is required.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Remote Follow-up (RFU)

Intervention Type OTHER

Women in the RFU group will be asked to return to the clinic for assessment if they have any complications.

Interventions

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Remote Follow-up (RFU)

Women in the RFU group will be asked to return to the clinic for assessment if they have any complications.

Intervention Type OTHER

Standard Follow-up (SFU)

Study Day 15 (± 3 days)requires an in-person post-abortion checkup: transvaginal ultrasound, and a bimanual exam to confirm successful pregnancy expulsion.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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telephone follow-up serum hCG In-clinic visit Ultrasound

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Requests a medical abortion and fulfills standard eligibility criteria for M\&M abortion:

* Clear decision to have an abortion
* Valid Ontario Health card
* Willing to abstain for vaginal intercourse and alcohol for 14 days
* Ability to insert misoprostol vaginal tablets
* Emergency Contact number
* Stop folic acid vitamins on initial contact
* Good general health
* Single intrauterine gestation less than or equal to 49 days as determined by transvaginal ultrasound
* Telephone access
* Access to emergency medical care within 30 minutes of home
* Agrees to undergo a surgical abortion in case of failure of the medical abortion method
2. Ability to understand the protocol and consent
3. Willingness to comply with either the SFU or RFU follow-up schedule

Exclusion Criteria

1. Factors that exclude women from eligibility for M\&M abortion:

* Coagulopathy or hemoglobin less than 100, White Blood Cell count \< 4.0 platelet \<140,000
* Allergy to methotrexate or misoprostol
* Presence of an intrauterine device
* Acute or chronic renal or hepatic disease
* Acute inflammatory bowel disease
* Uncontrolled seizure disorder
* Sickle cell anemia
* Breastfeeding
* Chronic oral corticosteroid therapy
* Any condition that in the opinion of the clinician investigator would compromise the safety of medical abortion for this patient
2. Requires the support of an interpreter
Minimum Eligible Age

16 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Women's College Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Sheila Dunn

MD, MSc, CCFP(EM), FCFP

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Sheila Dunn, MD MSc CCFP

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto

Locations

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Women's College Hospital-Bay Center for Birth Control

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Choice in Health Clinic

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Perriera LK, Reeves MF, Chen BA, Hohmann HL, Hayes J, Creinin MD. Feasibility of telephone follow-up after medical abortion. Contraception. 2010 Feb;81(2):143-9. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2009.08.008. Epub 2009 Sep 30.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20103453 (View on PubMed)

Clark W, Panton T, Hann L, Gold M. Medication abortion employing routine sequential measurements of serum hCG and sonography only when indicated. Contraception. 2007 Feb;75(2):131-5. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2006.08.001. Epub 2006 Dec 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17241843 (View on PubMed)

Clark W, Bracken H, Tanenhaus J, Schweikert S, Lichtenberg ES, Winikoff B. Alternatives to a routine follow-up visit for early medical abortion. Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Feb;115(2 Pt 1):264-272. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181c996f3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20093898 (View on PubMed)

Kaneshiro B, Edelman A, Sneeringer RK, Ponce de Leon RG. Expanding medical abortion: can medical abortion be effectively provided without the routine use of ultrasound? Contraception. 2011 Mar;83(3):194-201. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2010.07.023. Epub 2010 Sep 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21310279 (View on PubMed)

Fiala C, Safar P, Bygdeman M, Gemzell-Danielsson K. Verifying the effectiveness of medical abortion; ultrasound versus hCG testing. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2003 Aug 15;109(2):190-5. doi: 10.1016/s0301-2115(03)00012-5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12860340 (View on PubMed)

Creinin MD, Vittinghoff E, Keder L, Darney PD, Tiller G. Methotrexate and misoprostol for early abortion: a multicenter trial. I. Safety and efficacy. Contraception. 1996 Jun;53(6):321-7. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(96)00080-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8773418 (View on PubMed)

von Hertzen H, Honkanen H, Piaggio G, Bartfai G, Erdenetungalag R, Gemzell-Danielsson K, Gopalan S, Horga M, Jerve F, Mittal S, Ngoc NT, Peregoudov A, Prasad RN, Pretnar-Darovec A, Shah RS, Song S, Tang OS, Wu SC; WHO Research Group on Post-Ovulatory Methods for Fertility Regulation. WHO multinational study of three misoprostol regimens after mifepristone for early medical abortion. I: Efficacy. BJOG. 2003 Sep;110(9):808-18. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2003.02430.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 14511962 (View on PubMed)

Schaff EA, Fielding SL, Westhoff C. Randomized trial of oral versus vaginal misoprostol at one day after mifepristone for early medical abortion. Contraception. 2001 Aug;64(2):81-5. doi: 10.1016/s0010-7824(01)00229-3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11704083 (View on PubMed)

Rossi B, Creinin MD, Meyn LA. Ability of the clinician and patient to predict the outcome of mifepristone and misoprostol medical abortion. Contraception. 2004 Oct;70(4):313-7. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2004.04.005.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15451336 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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DUNNS-AFPFY112-RFUMA

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id