TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

Abstract

Objectives: To compare efficacy of extra-amniotic Foley’s catheter balloon aloneversus combined use of Foley’s catheter balloon and extra-amniotic instillation of prostaglandinF2-alpha in therapeutic termination of second trimester pregnancy. Study Design: Randomizedcontrolled trial. Setting: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Bahawal Victoria Hospital,Bahawalpur. Period: Two years. July 2014 to June 2016. Sample Technique: Non-probability,consecutive sampling technique. Patients & Methods: A total of 256 patients, 16 to 38 years ofage with fetal death or missed abortion on ultrasonography in 2nd trimester (14-24 gestationalweeks) of pregnancy were included in the study. Patients with previous uterine surgery, multiplepregnancies and parity>3 were excluded. Then selected patients were placed randomly intotwo groups i.e. Group A (extra-amniotic Foley’s catheter balloon alone) & Group B (Foley’scatheter balloon along with extra-amniotic instillation of prostaglandin F2-alpha), by using lotterymethod. Outcome variables like efficacy i.e. expulsion of fetus within 24 hours of induction, werenoted. Results: The mean age of women in group A was 24.51 ± 4.77 and in group B was 24.29± 4.48 years. The mean gestational age in group A was 21.65 ± 2.01 weeks and in group Bwas 21.28 ± 1.93 weeks. Efficacy was 103 (80.47%) in group A (extra-amniotic Foley’s catheterballoon alone) and 119 (92.97%) in group B (combined use of Foley’s catheter balloon andextra-amniotic instillation of prostaglandin F2-alpha) with p-value of 0.003. Conclusion: Thisstudy concluded that combined use of Foley’s catheter balloon and extra-amniotic instillationof prostaglandin F2-alpha is better and more efficacious than extra-amniotic Foley’s catheterballoon alone in therapeutic termination of second trimester pregnancy.