Randomized trial of oral misoprostol before endometrial biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the use of oral misoprostol in women undergoing endometrial biopsy reduces procedural discomfort. METHODS: Women undergoing endometrial biopsy were randomized to receive either 400 microg misoprostol or a vitamin B6 placebo orally 12 hours prior to the procedure, and were stratified based on menopausal status. The primary outcome was procedural discomfort on a visual analogue scale (0-10). Secondary outcomes included the need to dilate the cervix or use a tenaculum, and side effects. Subgroup analyses were planned for premenopausal and postmenopausal women separately. Sample size calculation was based on detecting a 50% reduction in pain, with alpha = 0.05 and beta = 0.10, in the premenopausal group. RESULTS: A total of 72 women (49 premenopausal and 23 postmenopausal) were enrolled; 35 received misoprostol (23 premenopausal and 12 postmenopausal) and 37 received placebo (26 premenopausal and 11 postmenopausal). There were no significant differences in procedural discomfort (misoprostol vs. placebo 5.8 +/- 2.9 vs. 5.5 +/- 3.2, P = 0.77; premenopausal women 4.9 +/- 3.3 vs. 5.1 +/- 3.1, P = 0.85; postmenopausal women 7.1 +/- 1.9 vs. 7.1 +/- 2.3, P = 0.99), need to dilate the cervix (6.1% vs. 5.6%, P = 0.93) or use a tenaculum (44.1% vs. 48.6%, P = 0.70). Significantly more women in the misoprostol group experienced nausea (31.4% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.001), diarrhea (20.0% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.02), abdominal pain (22.9% vs. 5.4%, P = 0.03), menstrual-like cramping (42.9% vs. 2.7%, P < 0.001) and vaginal bleeding (11.4% vs. 0%, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The use of 400 microg oral misoprostol 12 hours prior to endometrial biopsy did not reduce procedural discomfort and was associated with more side effects than use of placebo. This finding was noted in all women as well as among subgroups of premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

RETIRED: Canadian contraception consensus.

This document has been archived because it contains outdated information. It should not be consulted for clinical use, but for historical research only. Please visit the journal website for the most recent guidelines.

SOGC clinical practice guidelines: Canadian contraception consensus.

OBJECTIVE: To provide guidelines for health-care providers on the use of contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. OUTCOMES: Overall efficacy of cited contraceptive methods, assessing reduction in pregnancy rate, risk of infection, safety, ease of use, and side effects; the effect of cited contraceptive methods on sexual health and general well-being; and the cost and availability of cited contraceptive methods in Canada. EVIDENCE: Medline and the Cochrane Database were searched for articles in English on subjects related to contraception, sexuality, and sexual health from January 1988 to March 2003, in order to update the Report of the Consensus Committee on Contraception published in May-July 1998. Relevant Canadian Government publications and position papers from appropriate health and family planning organizations were also reviewed. VALUES: The quality of the evidence is rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination. Recommendations for practice are ranked according to the method described in this Report.

RETIRED: Canadian contraception consensus.

This document has been archived because it contains outdated information. It should not be consulted for clinical use, but for historical research only. Please visit the journal website for the most recent guidelines.