title: Effect of vaginal misoprostol application for cervical softening in pregnancy interruption before ten weeks of gestation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of vaginal misoprostol application for cervical dilatation and to determine the time taken for pregnancy interruption.
  
  
  METHODS
  200 micrograms misoprostol and gyno-flor vaginal tablet, employed to create acidic milieu, were applied into the posterior fornix of 40 women with gestational age of 5 to 10 weeks. Placebo was applied vaginally to 20 women who made up the control group. All cases were examined 5 hours later. The cervical dilatation, presence of fetoplacental material in the vagina, extrauterine cervical bleeding and the time necessary for dilatation and suction curettage were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 33 (82.5%) of the cases cervical bleeding, in 21 (52.5%) of the cases fetoplacental material on the cervix and/or in the vagina were detected in women of misoprostol group, while neither cervical bleeding nor fetoplacental material on the cervix and/or in the vagina was detected in the placebo group. In the misoprostol group the time taken for the operation was significantly (p < 0.005) shorter than that of the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaginal application of misoprostol shortens the time needed for the termination of the gestation by its facilitating effect on cervical dilatation.
authors.affiliation: Zeynep Kamil Women's and Pediatric Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiçicioğlu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taşdemir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taşdemir
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D016595:Misoprostol