title: Progesterone inhibition in mid-trimester termination of pregnancy: physiological and clinical effects.
abstract: A double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial was conducted to assess the clinical and physiological effects of 'epostane', a progesterone synthesis inhibitor, in mid-trimester prostaglandin termination of pregnancy. Mean peripheral progesterone levels had fallen by 74% after 72 h in the patients treated wtih epostane. The mean induction-abortion interval in the treatment group was 490 (SD 271) min, compared with 1432 (SD 640) min in the control group. Intrauterine pressure recording demonstrated increased sensitivity to prostaglandin E2 after epostane treatment but no change in oxytocin sensitivity. The clinical implications of facilitated induction of abortion are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selinger
authors.forename: I Z
authors.initials: IZ
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gillmer
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Phipps
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000019:Abortifacient Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic; D000737:Androstenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015232:Dinoprostone; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010121:Oxytocin; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011374:Progesterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011897:Random Allocation; D013997:Time Factors; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D000737:Androstenols; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011374:Progesterone; D010121:Oxytocin; C046855:epostane; D015232:Dinoprostone