Complications following prostaglandin F_2α-induced midtrimester abortion

Prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) was injected intraamniotically in 122 patients between 14 and 20 weeks’ gestation in the dosage schedule recommended by the drug manufacturer to induce abortion. Significantly more multiparous (47.5%) than primigrasida patients (21.5%) aborted within 16 hours, but the mean duration between PGF_2α injection and abortion was not significantly different. Complications occurred in 52 (42.6%) patients and included: Fall in hematocrit of more than 5 percentage points, failure to abort within 48 hours after injection, infection requiring antibiotic therapy, cervical laceration or fistula, and uterine rupture. The atypical dilatation and effacement of the cervix occurring with PGF_2α-induced contractions may possibly lead to cervical incompetence with later pregnancies. Although the efficacy of PGF_2α as an abortifacient is confirmed, the large complication rate with the procedure cannot be ignored.