Amniotic fluid and maternal plasma prostaglandins in hypertonic saline-induced abortion

Abstract Intraamniotic instillation of 20% sodium chloride solution was carried out in 12 women within the 16th to 18th weeks of pregnancy. PgE 2 and PgF 2α levels were monitored both in amniotic fluid 5 and 11 h following NaCl instillation as well as in the maternal plasma within the 5-h interval up to 36 h after instillation had been performed. A significant increase was observed of both PGE 2 and PGF 2α concentrations in the amniotic fluid of all women who underwent induction of abortion. PgF 2α in amniotic fluid was increasing abruptly during the time of abortion, reaching the value of 249.7 ± 19.6 ng/l (n = 12; P 2α showed a continuous mild increase from 20.4 ± 5.5 ng/l before to the maximum level, recorded 36 h after instillation, ranging within 205 ± 1.0 ng/l (n = 4; P 2 and PgF 2α in both amniotic fluid and maternal plasma suggests that the release of primary PGs is a pathognomonic event for initiating labor pains, maturation of the cervix in abortions induced via intra-amniotic instillation of hypertonic NaCl solution.