Dilatation of the cervix by oral PGE2 before first-trimester termination of pregnancy.
Twenty-four patients--all primigravidae with an especially narrow, rigid cervix--were given PGE2 tablets or placebo tablets in order to prime the cervix before first trimester termination of pregnancy. 1.5 mg PGE2 or placebo tablets were administered hourly for 12 hours on the day before vacuum aspiration. The diameter of the cervix was measured by means of a Hegar dilator prior to administering the tablets and also before the vacuum aspiration the following day. The plasma level of 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2 alpha was determined before the treatment and again before the vacuum aspiration. All the 12 patients treated with PGE2 tablets had an average change in cervix diameter of 2 mm, whereas in the placebo group the average change was 0.58 mm.
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015232:Dinoprostone; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000097:blood; D014619:Vacuum Curettage
D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011460:Prostaglandins F; C008228:15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F2alpha; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone