The experience of termination of second trimester pregnancies using gemeprost vaginal pessaries in a district general hospital.

Experience with the use of Gemeprost pessaries (prostaglandin E1 analogue), in a group of 60 consecutive patients for second trimester termination in a Scottish District General Hospital, is presented. Gestation ranged from 12 to 20 weeks; there were 29 nulliparous (48%) and 31 (52%) multiparous women. Fifty-seven (95%) aborted within 36 hours; 29 (48%) aborted completely and did not require further uterine curettage. Nulliparous patients required more pessaries and the abortion was more often incomplete. Side effects were minimal. There were no serious problems; and antiemetics were required by 17% and parenteral analgesics by 13% of patients.