Hyperosmolar urea for elective midtrimester abortion. Experience in 1,913 cases.

Intra-amniotic hyperosmolar urea (59.7 per cent) augmented by intravenous oxytocin (332 millimicron per minute), prostaglandin F2alpha (20 mg.), prostaglandin F2alpha (10 mg.), or prostaglandin F2alpha (5 mg.) was utilized for 1,913 patients requesting elective midtrimester abortion. Injection-abortion intervals ranging from 13.70 to 21.49 hours were achieved with failure rates of 0.7 to 6.7 per cent. Despite frequent pre-existing medical conditions, the complication rate compared favorably with those of other methods for terminating midtrimester pregnancy such as saline amnioinfusion or dilatation and evacuation.