The rate of cure in both arms was higher than expected

Patients with infected abortion will be treated with dilatation and curettage, intravenous antibiotics. The purpose of this study is to verify if it is necessary to keep the use of oral antibiotics after hospital discharge.

The use of 7-10 days of treatment for infected/septic abortion is not based on clinical trials. A recent evidence showed that endometritis post cesarean section needs no treatment after hospital discharge. The objective of this study is to verify if this finding also applies to infected abortions.

After in hospital treatment, the patients will be randomized to the traditional treatment (metronidazole and doxycycline) or to placebo until 10 days of treatment is completed. Active follow-up will be done every 2 days, and the patient will be reevaluated at the end of treatment.

Cure will be defined as the absence of fever, pain and bleeding. Failure of treatment will be considered as the need for hospitalization or additional antibiotics.

Inclusion Criteria:

• History of intrauterine manipulation with contaminated objects.
• Vaginal secretion with fetid odor
• Presence of pus flowing through the cervical uterine
• Presence of peritonitis
• Leucocytosis (> 14,000 leucocytes/mL)
• Vasodilatation, bounding pulse and paradoxically warm periphery with tachycardia (Heart rate> 110 bpm)
• Cyanosis and/or paleness
• tachypnea(> 30mpm)
• Arterial hypotension (SAP< 90mmHg)
• Oliguria
• Fever (> or = than 37,8°C)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the project
• Prior use of antibiotics within one week
• Known allergy to Doxycycline or Metronidazole
• Presence of tubo-ovarian abscess