RANDOMIZED COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO-HOURLY AND THREE-HOURLY INTRAMUSCULAR TREATMENT WITH 15(S)15 METHYL PGF2α FOR TERMINATION OF SECOND TRIMESTER PREGNANCY.

Abstract

In a multicentre trial, intramuscular 15(S)15 methyl PGF2α (Prostin 15M, Up-john) was tried at 2-hourly and 3-hourly intervals for induction of second trimester abortion. The time schedule was assigned randomly. Eighty-eight patients for 2-hourly schedule and 89 patients for 3-hourly schedule were recruited. Of 2-hourly 83% and of 3-hourly schedule 88.8% of the patients aborted with the treatment. The induction abortion interval was 15.9 hours in 2-hourly and 17.2 hours in 3-hourly schedule. The dose of Prostin 15M was 2.2 mg and 1.7 mg respectively. The incidence of incomplete abortion was 21.9% in 2-hourly and 27.8% in the 3-hourly. The incidence of vomiting was less in the 3-hourly schedule, however, there was no difference in the incidence of diarrhoea.