title: Objective demonstration of cervical softening with a prostaglandin F2 alpha gel during first trimester abortion.
abstract: In a prospective study the cervix softening and dilating effects of intracervically applied prostaglandin F2 alpha gel were investigated in 100 patients during induced abortion in the 7-12th week of pregnancy. A specially designed tonometer was used to measure the resistance of the cervical canal before as well as 6-8 h, 4 days and 5-6 weeks after gel application. The cervix of 99 patients proved to be freely passable without use of undue force for at least Hegar 8 after treatment. Measurements in 96 patients 5-6 weeks after the operation showed good general agreement with those values obtained before gel application. No spontaneous or operation-induced lesions of the cervix occurred. Intracervical prostaglandin gel application proved itself to be a safe, practicable and gentle method for avoiding dilation-induced complications during first trimester abortions.
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects*; D004106:Dilatation; D015237:Dinoprost; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D015237:Dinoprost