Preliminaries -- CONTENTS -- Background -- Introduction -- 1 What counselling is needed by a woman with an unwanted pregnancy who is contemplating abortion -- 2 What factors should be taken into account when counselling a woman about her choice between medical and surgical abortion -- 3 What are the contraindications to medical abortion -- 4 Do any other characteristics of the woman need to be taken into account in providing medical abortion -- 5 How should pregnancy be confi rmed and gestation estimated -- 6 What clinical assessment and laboratory investigations are required prior to medical abortion -- 7 What steps are necessary to minimize the risk of undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy -- 8 What is the recommended regimen for medical abortion? -- 9 Are other doses of mifepristone possible -- 10 Are other doses or routes of administration of the prostaglandin possible -- 11 What are the advantages and disadvantages of misoprostol versus gemeprost -- 12 Can other prostaglandins be used -- 13 Is the interval between administration of mifepristone and prostaglandin crucial -- 14 Can abortion be induced using prostaglandin alone -- 15 What pain relief should be available to women during medical abortion -- 16 If a woman has an incomplete abortion, is it necessary to evacuate Postabortion care 16 If a woman has an incomplete abortion is it necessary to evacuate the uterus surgically -- 17 How should pelvic infection be diagnosed and treated after abortion -- 18 How should the success of medical abortion be confi rmed -- 19 How should ectopic pregnancy be identifi ed after medical abortion? -- 20 Is there a risk of fetal abnormality after an unsuccessful medical abortion -- 21 Which methods of contraception can a woman use after medical abortion -- Annex 1.