title: Cervical ripening of the rat in dependence on endocrine milieu; effects of antigestagens.
abstract: The circumstances which cause the ripening of the cervix during the initial phase of parturition are still unexplored. In addition, complications during labour such as cervical dystocia still necessitate cesarian section. Therefore we examined the biomechanical alterations of the cervix during the last trimester of pregnancy. We developed a special method to measure dilatation and resistance of the rat cervix. After testing several substances, the antigestagen Mifepristone turned out to be most effective in causing cervical softening. Further investigations with light and scanning electron microscopy showed an increase of collagen and a possible loosening of collagen fibers after antigestagen treatment. Therefore it might be possible to use Mifepristone, perhaps in combination with a prostaglandin to promote cervical ripening when certain obstetric problems arise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stiemer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Elger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004106:Dilatation; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D011372:Progestins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D011372:Progestins; D015735:Mifepristone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D015232:Dinoprostone