[Value of RU 486 in failed terminations of pregnancy]

One of the complications of therapeutic termination of pregnancy is the complete retention of the embryo. The authors present four cases of repeated failure to evacuate the uterus associated with multiple fibroids or a malformation of the uterus. The use of RU 486 to soften the cervix and to allow it to dilate spontaneously made it possible in each case to aspirate the products completely. This action on the cervix of RU 486 could be used to make it easier to terminate early pregnancies up to the 12th week and particularly when there is associated uterine pathology.