[Induction of early first trimester abortion with a prostaglandin E1 analogue. A pilot study]

A pilot investigation employing prostaglandin (PG) induced early abortion (maximal 56 days of menostasia) was planned with the object of investigation whether this non-surgical method was as effective, safe and acceptable as vacuum aspiration. The investigation was planned to include 20 women to be treated with 1 mg PGE1-vagitories at intervals of three hours up to five times in 24 hours. If abortion did not occur after 24 hours as assessed by gynaecological examination and sonography, the uterus was evacuated. After seven women had participated, the investigation was abandoned because of complications and violent pain in several women and because very few of the woman ashed to participate desired to do so, i.e. they preferred vacuum aspiration under general anaesthesia. It is concluded that the method employed here did not prove acceptable for Danish women on account of the severe pain involved and the protracted course of the procedure.