Termination of early first trimester pregnancy with 16,16-dimethyl trans delta 2 prostaglandin E1 methyl ester

Thirty healthy women with early first trimester pregnancy applying for legal abortion were given five vagitories containing 1 mg 16,16-dimethyl-trans delta 2 prostaglandin E1 (16,16-dimethyl PGE1). They were instructed to take one vagitory every third hour. The treatment was evaluated at follow-up visits after one, two and four weeks. Complete abortion was recorded in 27 cases. The pregnancy test was still positive after two weeks in three women, who underwent surgical termination, and were recorded as failures. The most common side-effects were bleeding, pain and gastrointestinal symptoms. No serious side-effects were recorded. Repeated administration of vagitories containing 1 mg 16,16-dimethyl PGE1 seems to be a safe and effective method of "menstrual extraction". The efficacy should be increased and the rate and intensity of side effects decreased if "menstrual extraction" is to compete with conventional dilatation and curettage.