Safety
Significant adverse events in both cohorts were rare (Table 3). Haemorrhage requiring transfusion was reported in 8 (0.04%) cases in the traditional cohort and 7 (0.02%) cases in the telemedicine-hybrid cohort. No cases of significant infection requiring hospital admission, major surgery or death were reported. We found no evidence that significant adverse events were higher in the telemedicine-hybrid cohort (p=0.557).
The overall incidence of ectopic pregnancy was equivalent in both cohorts, 39 (0.2%) in the traditional pathway and 49 (0.2%) in the telemedicine pathway, p=0.796 (Table 4). The proportions managed after EMA were not significantly different between the cohorts (0.01% in the traditional pathway and 0.03% in the telemedicine-hybrid pathway, p=0.123). There were 11 cases (0.04%) in the telemedicine-hybrid cohort where the gestational age after abortion was reported as being greater than the expected 10 weeks. In all these cases, the medical abortion was completed at home without additional medical complications.