Choosing between surgical abortions and medical abortions induced with methotrexate and misoprostol

Women phoning to request an abortion at a free-standing abortion clinic who were less than 46 days from the last menstrual period were given a choice between a surgical abortion and a medical abortion induced with methotrexate and misoprostol. Twenty-six percent (116 of 405 women) chose a medical abortion. Younger women were more likely to choose a surgical abortion. There were no other significant differences in the two groups in terms of gestational age, race, or prior pregnancies. The reasons most women listed as ''very important'' when making the decision to have a medical abortion were the timing (being able to have the abortion before 7 weeks), the privacy of aborting at home, and fear of surgery. The women who chose surgery gave the reasons of fear of experimental medications, the lack of emotional support at home, and wanting to avoid the extra visits and blood tests. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science, Inc.