CERVICAL-MUCUS CONCENTRATION OF PROSTAGLANDINS E(2) AND F2-ALPHA AFTER PRETREATMENT WITH MIFEPRISTONE IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY

Cervical dilatation and softening after pretreatment with mifepristone are well documented. As this effect is similar to that observed after local application of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) it is tempting to sp eculate that the effect of mifepristone is mediated via an increase of the endogenous secretion of prostaglandins from the cervical mucosa. Eighteen healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy were treate d with oral mifepristone (200 mg) 48 and 24 hours before legal abortio n by vacuum aspiration and 28 women in the same age of gestation witho ut any pretreatment served as controls. Cervical mucus was collected f or measurement of prostaglandins by radioimmunoassay before administra tion of the drug and in connection with vacuum aspiration. The cervica l dilatation at the time of surgery was significantly increased in wom en given mifepristone as compared with untreated women (7.6 versus 5.8 mm). The wet weight of collected cervical mucus was significantly inc reased in mifepristone treated women. The amount of PGE(2) and prostag landin E(2 alpha) per sample was unchanged in mifepristone-treated wom en, whereas the concentration was lower as an effect of dilution due t o an increased yield in cervical secretion observed after mifepristone treatment. The present observation does not give any support to the h ypothesis that mifepristone-induced cervical maturation is mediated vi a an increase in cervical prostaglandin production.