DILAPAN TENT-GEMEPROST REGIMEN VS COMBINATIONS OF EXTRAAMNIOTIC RIVANOL-LAMINARIA LAMICEL AND OXYTOCIN FOR 2ND-TRIMESTER ABORTION

Objective: To compare a new regimen for second trimester abortion usin g Dilapan and vaginal gemeprost suppositories with extra-amniotic Riva nol instillation and oxytocin i.v. immediately or 16 h after instillat ion. Methods: A prospective study was performed in 153 women to analyz e the induction-abortion interval, the use of analgesics and the compl ication rate. Wilcoxon's rank sum test was used for statistical evalua tion. Results: The mean induction-abortion interval was significantly shorter in the Dilapan-gemeprost-treated women than in the immediate o r 16-h Rivanol-oxytocin-treated women, 12.5 vs. 23.3 and 26.8 h, respe ctively. The 24-h cumulative abortion rate was 91% in the former group vs. 49% and 61%, respectively. The use of analgesics was less frequen t among the Dilapan-gemeprost-treated women, whereas the complication rate did not differ. Conclusions: The Dilapan-gemeprost treatment was advantageous with respect to a shorter induction-abortion interval and ease of handling. However a minority of women do not respond to this treatment and it is therefore necessary to employ alternative methods to complete the abortion in these cases.