UTAH
Research type
Research Study
Full title
UTAH: Using Telemedicine to improve early medical Abortion at Home.
IRAS ID
264265
Contact name
Sharon T Cameron
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Lothian
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
The primary research question is ‘Is a telephone consultation for Early Medical Abortion (EMA - the commonest method of abortion in Scotland) non-inferior to a face-to-face consultation?’ The secondary research questions are: ‘How do the consultations compare with regard to patient satisfaction, time taken, and uptake of effective methods of contraception?’
This is of importance to patients and public because abortion care consultations can be quite lengthy and having to take time off from work to attend clinic can have an impact of personal finances as well as confidentiality. Telephone consultations will allow flexibility of timing of appointment and may be more discreet.
Any patients who are eligible to have an early medical abortion at home, based upon gestational age of pregnancy as per last menstrual period and preference of method, are eligible to participate in the study.
The study will be conducted at a community sexual and reproductive health centre that routinely delivers early medical abortion care.
The study will last approximately 2 years in total, but each participant will be enrolled for approximately 2 weeks each. They will be randomised to receive a face to face or telephone consultation for early medical abortion. Two weeks after this they will have a brief telephone consultation to assess completion of abortion and satisfaction with process.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
19/SS/0111
Date of REC Opinion
28 Oct 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion