Termination of pregnancy with mifepristone after intra-uterine death. Clinical and hormonal effects.

Mifepristone was used in a dosage of 400 mg/d in a double-blind study to induce labour in patients with intra-uterine fetal death in late pregnancy. Eight of 12 patients who received the drug delivered within 72 hours while only 2 of 12 patients treated with placebo delivered during a similar period. No adverse effects, viz. excessive vaginal bleeding and abnormal biochemical or haematological parameters, were associated with the use of this drug.