Prostaglandins and abortion. II. Single extra-amniotic administration of 0.92 mg. of 15-methyl prostaglandin F2alpha in Hyskon for termination of pregnancies in weeks 10 to 20 of gestation: an international multicenter study. World Health Organization Task Force on the Use of Prostaglandins for the Regulation of Fertility.

In a multicenter comparative trial, 15-methyl prostaglandin F2alpha(PGF2alpha), 0.92 mg., was administered by extra-amniotic injection to 660 patients. Abortion of the fetus occurred within 24 hours in 479 patients (72.6 per cent) and within 36 hours in 530 patient (80.3 per cent). Abortion was complete in 31 per cent of the cases. The commonest side effects were vomiting and diarrhea, but these symptoms were not severe, the mean frequencies being 0.9 episodes of vomiting per patient and 0.7 episodes of diarrhea per patient. It is concluded that this method is safe and effective for the induction of abortion.