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EPU Leaflet: How to Prepare for your Procedure with Misoprostol

Details

Leaflet Details

Title How to Prepare for your Procedure with Misoprostol
Department Early Pregnancy Unit
Author(s) Lead Midwife EPU
Review Date October 2025
Next Review October 2028
Download A4 Handout PDF
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Patient Information

Introduction

As part of the preparation for your gynaecology procedure, you have been prescribed misoprostol.

 

What is misoprostol and what is it for?

Misoprostol (Cytotec®) is a medicine used to soften the cervix and make it easier for your procedure to be performed.

 

What are the side effects?

Some common side effects include:

  • abdominal cramping,
     
  • vaginal bleeding,
     
  • diarrhoea
     
  • nausea and vomiting.

Rare side effects include shivering, hot flushes or chills. Please tell the nurse if you have any of these symptoms. You can take paracetamol for pain with a sip of water if required. Please tell the admission nurse if you have taken any pain medicines.

 

How do I use misoprostol?

Misoprostol tablets are inserted into the vagina. The aim of using misoprostol pre-procedure is to soften the cervix to allow easier access to the uterus.

 

Using misoprostol in the vagina

Misoprostol tablets should be placed deep into the vagina two hours before your planned admission time. If you are having surgery on ESAC at St Peter’s, then this will be at 7am before coming into hospital. The dosage for misoprostol is 400mcg.

  1. Go to the toilet and empty your bladder.
     
  2. Wash your hands.
     
  3. Remove misoprostol tablets from the packaging.
     
  4. Either in a squatting position, or lying on your back or side, use your finger to push one misoprostol tablet deep into the vagina. You may find it useful to use a tampon applicator to do this,
     
  5. Repeat step 4 for the second tablet.
     
  6. Lie down for about 30 minutes after you insert the misoprostol tablets to allow the tablets to dissolve.
    If you notice the tablets falling out, you may push them back in again or call us for instructions on what to do.
     
  7. Wash your hands.

Anatomy

 

Reference

NUPAS 50967 NUPAS Booklet Cover October 22.indd
https://www.nupas.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/NUPAS-Abortion-Guide.pdf

 

More Information

Please call the Early Pregnancy Unit on 01932 722662
Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm

 

Welcome to our Patient Information Centre

While we add more leaflets to our online library, click on the following link to see the full listing by department for PDF copies.

 

About our Leaflets

Procedures should only be undertaken by trained healthcare professionals and the Trust will not be liable for injury, loss or financial impairment as a result of actions taken by individuals after reading the materials.

Care has been taken to describe the treatments in a sensitive manner, however, due to their nature you may find some of the content distressing.

Depending on their format, leaflets can be downloaded in PDF as an A4 handout (to print single-sided or double-sided on long edge), A5 booklet (to print double-sided on short edge), or an A4 tri-fold document (to print double-sided on short edge). These can be saved to your device for future reference and to use in a PDF reader such as a Kindle.

 

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Further Information

We endeavour to provide an excellent service at all times, but should you have any concerns please, in the first instance, raise these with the Matron, Senior Nurse or Manager on duty.

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