Abortion-inducing effect of prostaglandin F2-alpha in the mid-trimester of pregnancy

Abstract

Prostaglandin (PG) F2-alpha was administered extraamnially to 70, and intraammially to 51 pregnant women to induce abortion in the 14th to 28th weeks of pregnancy. With intraamnial infusion of PGF2-alpha (25 mg/8-12 hours), the mean induction time was 27.1 hours and thus, oxytocin, too, was required in 19.6% of the cases. With extraamnial infusion of 5 mg PGF2-alpha at 4 to 6 hour intervals, mean induction time was 34.0 hours and addition of oxytocin was required in 46.1% of the cases. Moreover, if 15 to 30 mg of PGF2-alpha was infused at 18 to 29 hour intervals, or 1 mg at 2 hour intervals, the induction of abortion was considerably prolonged. In primigravidae, or in the 14th to 18th weeks pregnancy, the abortive effect of PGF2-alpha was weaker than in multigravidae or in the 19th to 28th weeks of pregnancy. In the case of intrauterine fetal deaths, the abortive effects was more marked than in intact pregnancies. After extraamnial infusion of PGF2-alpha, the uterine contractions were less coordinated than after intraamnial dosage. In about one-third of abortion induced by extraamnial PGF2-alpha, the fetal heart was found to work for 5 to 15 minutes after abortion.