title: Oral administration of the prostaglandin enisoprost induces uterine activity and softens the cervix during first trimester pregnancy.
abstract: 48 patients in the first trimester of pregnancy received a single oral dose of placebo or enisoprost (prostaglandin E1 analogue): 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 or 400 micrograms. Uterine activity was recorded for 1 h before and for 4 h after administration of the study drug with a Millar microtransducer. There was a dose-related increase in mean resting and active pressure, but not in frequency of pressure cycles. At the highest dose used, namely 400 micrograms, all 6 subjects bled. Enisoprost dilated the cervix and any further dilatation required was easy to accomplish.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Pulkkinen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vuento
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000527:Alprostadil; C054594:enisoprost