title: Induction of abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy by intramuscular 15-methyl prostaglandin F 2 alpha (Prostin 15M).
abstract: 40 patients, pregnant clinically from 12 to 24 weeks in whom pregnancy termination for medical or medicosocial reasons was indicated, were given 250 micrograms Prostin 15M (15 methyl prostaglandin F 2 alpha, Upjohn) intramuscularly every three hours in total dose from 500 micrograms to 3000 micrograms. The Committee for Medical Ethics of the Committee for Medical and Social Security of SRS approved the study to be performed at the University Gynecological Hospital of Ljubljana using the drug and following the protocol of Upjohn (Tehnoservis). 36 patients (90%) aborted within 48 hours after the first injection (mean interval was 15.43 hours). In three out of 40 patients (7.5%) the abortion was complete, in 34 (85.0%) it was incomplete. In two patients, dilatation of cervical canal was complete, but the expected abortion did not take place. One patient aborted in 52 hours and 10 minutes. Only in a single case induction of abortion was completely unsuccessful. The drug is considered effective for induction of abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000328:Adult; D002260:Carboprost; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second
chemical_list: D002260:Carboprost