Background Despite legislation governing medical termination of pregnancy (MTP), many women self-administer MTP pills without medical supervision. This study aims to investigate the maternal morbidity and mortality associated with the use of self-managed abortion pills and the various factors contributing to their misuse. Methodology We conducted a prospective, hospital-based observational study at Amar Shaheed Jodha Singh Attaiya Thakur Dariyaon Singh Medical College, Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh. Eligible women were consecutively enrolled during routine clinical care between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. Two hundred thirty-nine pregnant women who reported to the outpatient department (OPD) or the emergency room with a history of taking the MTP pill (mifepristone– misoprostol combination) without a valid medical prescription, whether procured by themselves or by another person over the counter, were included in the study. Results Of 239 participants, most (76.15%) were aged 20–30 years. Over half (55.23%) were from rural areas, and 53.97% belonged to the middle class. The majority (64.02%) had two or more children, and 61.51% had vaginal deliveries. At the time of taking the MTP pill, 64.01% were under 12 weeks pregnant. Nearly one-third (31.80%) sought hospital care more than 30 days after taking the pill. Severe anemia occurred in 21 participants, while 3 required ICU care, 3 developed sepsis, and 1 underwent laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy or perforation. No maternal deaths were reported. Only 40.59% assessed their eligibility for medical abortion, and awareness of possible complications was low (12.97%). Conclusion Using MTP pills without medical supervision can lead to severe and potentially life-threatening complications. It is imperative to restrict easy and unrestricted access to these medications, necessitating the implementation of stringent regulations targeting both individuals seeking the pills and those providing them.
Gupta et al. (Thu,) studied this question.