The efficacy and safety of intramuscularly administered 15(S) 15 methyl prostaglandin E2 methyl ester for induction of artificial abortion

Abstract

The practicability of an intramuscular dose schedule of 10 μg of 15(S) 15 methyl prostaglandin E2 methyl ester [15(S) Me PGE2] administered every 4 hours was evaluated in 42 subjects from 7 to 20 menstrual weeks' gestation. Half of the subjects served as controls (Group I) and half of the subjects (Group II) were treated with a medication regimen of prochlorperazine, acetylsalicylic acid, diphenoxylate hydrochloride, and atropine sulfate to evaluate the regimen's effects. Although the 15(S) Me PGE2 dose schedule appeared to be effective (74 per cent aborted in 24 hours and 95 per cent aborted within 48 hours in a mean time of 18.9 hours), Group I (control) subjects frequently had side effects: 62 per cent had emesis, 86 per cent had diarrhea, 76 per cent had shivering, and 76 per cent had fever (>100° F.). Fewer Group II (medicated) subjects had side effects: 43 per cent had emesis, 19 per cent had diarrhea, 52 per cent had shivering, and 43 per cent had fever. The medication regimen did not appear to interfere with the abortifacient or oxytocic effects of the 15(S) Me PGE2 dose schedule, since Group I and Group II subjects had similar cumulative abortion rates, mean abortion times, and uterine activity. Although this 15(S) Me PGE2 dose schedule is effective in first-trimester patients, it is probably less satisfactory than the conventional method of vacuum aspiration. While intramuscularly administered 15(S) Me PGE2 with medications to attenuate side effects may be practicable for inducing midtrimester abortion, especially between 12 and 16 weeks' gestation, large controlled comparative studies of the intramuscular 15(S) Me PGE2 method and other experimental and conventional methods will be necessary to determine the most satisfactory method of performing midtrimester abortions.