title: Pre-operative cervical preparation before first trimester missed abortion: a randomized controlled comparison between single or double intracervical administration of PGE2 gel.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a single intracervical application of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) gel is as effective as a repeated administration with respect to the % of curettage for a missed abortion and to incidence of side effects. 32 consecutive patients with ultrasonographic diagnosis of missed abortion from 6th-13th week of gestation were randomly allocated to either single (group A) or repeated, 2 h apart (group B), intracervical application of PGE2 gel. No differences were observed in cervical dilatation before the administration of the gel between the two groups. In group B, evaluation of cervical dilatation 2 h after the first administration of PGE2 gel and before the second one did not show significant changes as compared to baseline values. The degree of cervical dilatation before surgery was significantly improved as compared to the initial dilatation in both groups; no significant difference was observed between the two study groups. A single administration of PGE2 gel followed by surgery 5 h later has the same effectiveness on cervical dilatation but fewer side effects than repeated administration of the drug 2 h apart.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ragusa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vignali
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanetta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanini
mesh_terms: D000030:Abortion, Missed / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D014619:Vacuum Curettage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D015232:Dinoprostone