Indomethacin increases abortifacient effect of PGE2 in man

Abstract

Results of this study indicate that pretreatment with indomethacin significantly increases the abortifacient effect of an intravenous infusion of PGE2 in patients admitted for abortion as a result of fetal death in utero. Indomethacin pretreatment shortened the duration of PGE2-induced abortion in primigravid and multigravid groups of patients by about 4 and 2 hours respectively. When primigravid and multigravid groups were combined, the dose of PGE2 needed for complete delivery decreases in the indomethacin-treated group by 39.9%.

PIP: Pretreatment with indomethacin (INDO) significantly increased the abortifacient effect of prostaglandin (PG) E2 when administered intravenously to abort pregnancies with fetal death in utero. Of 31 cases trated with PGE2 alone, 24 aborted successfully and 7 were unsuccessful; when INDO was used with PGE2 in 30 fetal-death terminations, 28 cases were successful and 2 were not (P=.081). Duration of delivery was significantly shorter in pretreated (P .05 for multigravidas, and P .001 for primigravidas). In hours, the differences were 4 and 2 for primi- and multigravidas, respectively. Amount of PGE2 needed to induce the 1st uterine contraction, complete cervical dilatation, and deliver the fetus and placenta was smaller in the INDO-pretreated patients than in PGE2 alone patients (P .05 - P . 01). Blood loss was significantly less in the INDO group (P .01). INDO pretreatment did not affect the associated drop in systolic and diastolic pressures which occurs with PGE2 administration.