Laminaria augmentation of intra-amniotic PGF2 for midtrimester pregnancy termination

In our hands, intra-amniotic PGF2alpha 40 mg for midtrimester pregnancy termination had a mean infusion to abortion interval of 29.4 hr. However, pretreatment of 230 patients with laminaria tents inserted 14-18 hr before PGF2alpha infusion resulted in a dramatically reduced time to abortion (14.3 hr mean) with a low incidence of gastrointestinal and other side effects. Laminaria tents inserted at the same time as PGF2alpha infusion in 26 patients also resulted in reduced time to abortion (18.6 hr mean). In the laminaria pretreated group, the infusion to abortion interval was indirectly related to the number of laminaria inserted and not to the nulliparous or parous state. Although we have made significant strides in shortening the abortion interval in the hospital, retained placentae and blood loss persist as problems related to the use of prostaglandin for abortion.