Changes in the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein and placental hormones following two methods of medical abortion in early pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Measurement of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was used to investigate the occurrence of feto-maternal haemorrhage in women undergoing medical abortion.


METHODS
Three groups of women with amenorrhoea of 56 or less days were studied. A control and a mifepristone group had two blood samples taken 48 h apart. Women undergoing medical abortion with gemeprost had two blood samples taken 24 h apart.


METHODS
Medical Termination Unit, Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion, Edinburgh.


METHODS
Three hundred and thirty-five women requesting abortion.


METHODS
Blood samples taken at 24 h or 48 h apart.


RESULTS
The rise in concentration of AFP in plasma was much higher (P = 0.01) in the two groups of women in whom abortion was induced by gemeprost or mifepristone than in control women. Whereas only 5% of women in the control group had a significant rise in AFP, 27% and 33% of women in the mifepristone and gemeprost groups, respectively, had a rise in AFP level which exceeded the 95th centile (> or = 38%). The concentration of hCG rose by 48 h in both control and mifepristone groups. Progesterone remained unchanged, and oestradiol decreased (P < 0.02) in the mifepristone group. By 24 h, there was a significant fall in the concentrations of hCG, progesterone and oestradiol in the group who had aborted after being given gemeprost.


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-D prophylaxis must be administered to rhesus negative women to avoid rhesus iso-immunisation.
Thong
K J
KJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Edinburgh.
Norman
J E
JE
Baird
D T
DT
D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005331:Fetomaternal Transfusion / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015735:Mifepristone; D010926:Placental Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D000020:Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D010926:Placental Hormones; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D015735:Mifepristone; C021182:gemeprost; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D000527:Alprostadil