Prostaglandin induction of midtrimester abortions: three years' experience of 626 cases

In the first part of the survey 424 midtrimester abortion inductions with 11 different regimes of treatment were analyzed according to PG dose, PG type (PGF2alpha or PGE2), the route of administration (intravenous, extra-amniotic, and intra-amniotic), and the dose of concomitant intravenous oxytocin. Intraamniotic PG was given as a single injection, and the dose was repeated after 24 hours, if the abortion was not imminent. The highest efficacy, a 90% success rate within 24 hours and a 100% rate in 48 hours, as well as the shortest induction-abortion interval were achieved with the intra-amniotic administration of 50 mg of PGF2alpha either alone or with supplementary oxytocin, or with the intra-amniotic 10 mg PGE2 plus oxytocin.