Two recently published studies provide new evidence that the anti-cancer drug Methotrexate, in combination with Misoprostol, a prostaglandin, may be an effective method of early abortion.The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a study of 178 women conducted by Dr. Richard Hausknecht, a New York abortion provider, showing that the two drug combination was 96% effective during the first 63 days of pregnancy.
A second study conducted by Dr. Eric Schaff of the University of Rochester found that 98 of 100 women completed abortions with the Methotrexate-Misoprostol combination.
Women in the trials received an injection of Methotrexate, followed by the self-administration of Misopostol in pill or suppository form a week later. Methotrexate creates a folic acid deficiency that stops cell division, resulting in termination of the pregnancy. Misoprostol, the same prostaglandin that is used in conjunction with RU 486, causes expulsion of the embryo.
Delta Pharmaceutical Group will soon begin a large-scale clinical trial on this drug combination.
Methotrexate is currently used in the U.S. in low doses as a treatment for arthritis, psoriasis and ectopic pregnancy as well in higher doses as a cancer treatment.
While the Methotrexate procedure is the only medical abortion method that effectively terminates ectopic pregnancy, researchers generally believe that RU 486 (Mifepristone) offers several advantages over Methotrexate since the termination of pregnancy with mifepristone occurs more quickly and over 200,000 women already have successfully used the mifepristone regimen.