Uterine motility and cervical ripening in second trimester elective abortion by two different PGE analogues.

The clinical effects were studied of two different PGE analogues on the uterine motility and cervical ripening of eighty pregnant women asking for a second trimester elective abortion for fetal abnormalities. Forty women received vaginal suppositories each containing 1 milligram of 16, 16-dimethyl-trans-s2-PGE1 (Gemeprost) every 3 hours (5 mg max). Intramuscular injections of 500 micrograms of 16-phenoxy-w 17, 18, 19, 20 tetranor PGE2 methyl-sulphonylamide (Sulprostone) were administered every four hours (2000 mcg max.) to the remaining forty patients. Thirty-three Gemeprost treated patients (82.5%) and 34 Sulprostone treated patients (85%) experienced a complete abortion in the mean of 12.92 +/- 6.95 hours and 11.88 +/- 6.8 hours respectively. The histological and ultrastructural findings of cervical ripening were similar in both groups, while the tocographic patterns showed different characteristics. Side effects occurred in 16 Sulprostone (40%), but only in 9 (22.5%) Gemeprost treated patients, demonstrating that Gemeprost, although equally effective, is better tolerated.