Termination of pregnancy in patients with missed abortion and intrauterine dead fetuses by a single intracervical application of prostaglandin E2 in viscous gel.

To terminate pregnancy 15 women with an established diagnosis of missed abortion or intrauterine dead fetuses were treated with 1.0 mg Prostaglandin E 2 in viscous gel applied as a single intracervical dose. -- Abortion was induced after a mean of 7.0 hours in 8 patients with a mean gestational age of 15.0 weeks, and a subsequent evacuation of the uterine cavity was easily performed. -- Complete abortion/delivery was obtained in 7 patients with a gestational age of 33 weeks. The over-all mean induction/delivery time was 7.5 hours. -- Apart from pain related to uterine contractions no side effects were observed and no complications occurred. It is concluded that the present technique represents a promising alternative in the treatment of patients with missed abortion or intrauterine dead fetuses.