Differences in hormonal patterns during the first postabortion menstrual cycle after two techniques of termination of...

Fifteen patients underwent first-trimester abortion by one of two techniques. In group P, seven patients received prostaglandin vaginal suppositories during the 12 hours prior to vacuum aspiration, whereas eight patients in group V were aborted by aspiration alone. During the first postabortion menstrual cycle, daily peripheral blood levels of several hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, estradiol, and progesterone, were determined. Patients in group P demonstrated a more rapid fall in progesterone levels following pregnancy termination (P less than 0.01). They also experienced a more physiologic first postabortion cycle as evidenced by a larger preovulatory estradiol peak (P less than 0.05) and a more normal luteal phase as judged by both the duration and elevation of progesterone levels. Certain endocrine changes common to both groups but different from those of normally menstruating women were also observed. These consisted of short-term spurts of progesterone secretion in many patients (10 of 15) prior to ovulation and exaggerated levels of FSH during the early follicular phase.