Tuscany develops protocol for home-administered medical abortion

Tuscany is developing a new protocol to allow the home administration of the second pill used in chemical abortions. Under the proposed guidelines, the first medication, mifepristone, would be administered in a healthcare facility, while the second medication, misoprostol, could be taken at home in clinically appropriate cases.

Dr. Alberto Virgolino, President of AIGOC, has raised concerns regarding the risks of home-administered chemical abortions. He noted that incomplete or failed abortions are more frequent with pharmacological methods compared to surgical ones. Citing Ministry of Health data from 2022, Virgolino pointed out that the rate of incomplete or failed abortions was 1.19% for pharmacological methods (RU486 + prostaglandins) compared to 0.27% for surgical interventions. He also highlighted that total complications, including hemorrhages and infections, resulted in higher hospitalization rates for pharmacological abortions than for surgical procedures.