A Cochrane review included 2 trials. The combined incidence of minor complications was lower with dilation and evacuation (D&E) compared with prostaglandinF2α instillation (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.65, 1 trial, n=100) as was the total number of minor and major complications (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.46). Adverse events were also lower with D&E than with mifepristone and misoprostol (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.76, 1 trial, n=18). Although women treated with mifepristone and misoprostol reported significantly more pain than those undergoing D&E, efficacy and acceptability were the same in both groups. In both trials, fewer subjects randomised to D&E required overnight hospitalisation.
The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (inadequate intention-to-treat adherence) and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).