ADJUNCTIVE USE OF LAMINARIA TENT WITH INTRAMUSCULAR 15(S)15 METHYL PGF_2α FOR INDUCTION OF SECOND TRIMESTER ABORTION

The adjunctive use of laminaria tent along with intramuscular 15(S)15 methyl PGF_2α (Prostin 15M, Upjohn) was studied for induction of second trimester abortion. Three hundred and two patients from eight centres were recruited for the study. Ninety-two were primigravidae and 210 were multigravidae. One to three laminaria tents were inserted overnight and they were removed before the start of treatment with 250 µg Prostin 15M administered intramuscularly every two hours till abortion. Of primigravida 81.5% and of the multigravidae 79.5% aborted within 24 hours of treatment. The induction abortion interval in the primigravida was 11.2 hours and in multigravidae it was 12.0 hours. The overall incomplete abortion rate was 31.0%. The pimigravidae had higher mean number of episodes of vomiting (2.5) and diarrhea (2.9) than the multigravidae (1.7 and 1.5, respectively). No other complications or injuries to genital tract were reported.