INDUCTION OF SECOND TRIMESTER ABORTION BY INTRAAMNIOTIC ADMINISTRATION OF 15(S)15 METHYL PGF_2α

In a multicentre trial 139 women between 15 and 20 weeks of gestation were treated with 2.5 mg intraamniotic administration of 15(S)15 methyl PGF_2α (Prostin 15M, Upjohn) for termination of pregnancy. Following treatment 97% of the primigravida and 94.5% of multigravida aborted. The induction abortion interval (Mean ± S.E.M.) in the primigravida was 22.8 ± 1.1 hours, while in the multigravida it was 18.3 ± 1.0 hours. The mean number of episodes of vomiting was 1.4 and 0.9 in primigravidae and multigravidae, respectively. The mean number of episodes of diarrhoea was 0.7 in both groups. Of the primigravidae 10.9% and of the multigravidae 21.7% had incomplete abortions. No injuries to the genital tract were reported.