misoprostol

noun

mi·​so·​pros·​tol ˌmī-sō-ˈprä-ˌstōl  -ˌstȯl 

: a synthetic prostaglandin analog C₂₂H₃₈O₅ used to prevent stomach ulcers associated with NSAID use and to induce abortion in conjunction with mifepristone

Examples of misoprostol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But in Mexico, many medications, including misoprostol, can often be purchased without prescriptions, and midwives aren’t explicitly barred from providing them. —Bracey Harris, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2024

In some cases, patients take a regime of misoprostol only to end a pregnancy. —Ziva Branstetter, ProPublica, 16 Sep. 2024

Many doctors have been prescribing misoprostol despite the CDC's yearslong recommendations against it, the agency's research suggests. —Alexander Tin, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2024

Vomiting Overall, the success rate of misoprostol is around 80% to 99% for pregnancies of a gestational age of 13 weeks or less.4 For some people, treatment with misoprostol will not be effective and a D&C will then be needed. —Krissi Danielsson, Parents, 1 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

miso- (perhaps from methyl + iso-) + prostaglandin + -ol entry 1

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

misoprostol

noun

mi·​so·​pros·​tol ˌmī-sō-ˈpräs-ˌtōl  -ˌtȯl 

: a synthetic prostaglandin analog C₂₂H₃₈O₅ used to prevent stomach ulcers associated with NSAID use and to induce abortion in conjunction with RU-486