Termination of second trimester pregnancy with intra-amniotic 15 (S) 15 methyl prostaglandin F-2alpha - a two dose...

Termination of second trimester pregnancy with intra-amniotic administration of 15 (S) 15 methyl prostaglandin F-alpha (15 me F-alpha) was attempted in fifty patients. One group (26 patients) was given 1 mg of the analogue and the other group received 2.5 mg. The abortifacient efficacy of 15 me F-2alpha was similar in both groups; over 90% of the patients aborted with a single dose. There was a higher incidence of vomiting, diarrhoea and incomplete abortions in the group treated with 2.5 mg 15 me F-2alpha. Although the mean injection-abortion interval in the 2.5 mg group was shorter, it is concluded that intra-amniotic administration of 1 mg 15 me F-2alpha provides a better regime, giving high efficacy with a single dose, a low incidence of side effects and greater safety in case of inadvertent entry of the intra-amniotic dose into systemic circulation.