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The effects of gemeprost on the second trimester fetus
Objective:
To determine whether the use of gemeprost is associated with histological changes in the second trimester fetus.
Setting:
Histopathology department of a university hospital.
Design:
Retrospective comparison of histological features in fetuses aborted following maternal administration of gemeprost, with those in fetuses after spontaneous miscarriage.
Outcome Measures:
Degree of tissue fragmentation; other histological abnormalities.
Results:
Significantly greater fragmentation of the liver was found in fetuses exposed to gemeprost (P = 0.046). Nonsignificant effects were found for brain (P = 0.082) and heart (P = 0.183), and no effect was seen on the kidney, adrenal and lung. No other significant histological differences were found between the two groups.
Conclusions:
This study is the first to document an effect of gemeprost on the fetus, but confirmation is required in further studies. Other implications are discussed.