Prostaglandins and abortion. I. intramuscular administration of 15-methyl prostaglandin F2alpha for induction of abortion in weeks 10 to 20 of pregnancy. World Health Organization Task Force on the Use of Prostaglandins for the Regulation of Fertility.

A multicenter, multinational study of intramuscular 15-methyl prostaglandin F2alpha in 515 patients is described. Abortion of the fetus occurred in 79.3 per cent (408 patients) after 24 hours and 84.9 per cent (437 patients) after 30 hours. The abortion was complete in 35 per cent. The incidence of vomiting and diarrhea was high, 2.9 and 2.8 episodes per patient, respectively. Three patients had cervical laceration (0.6 per cent). There were no other serious side effects. It is concluded that this method has limited value as a primary method for induction of abortion but may be of value to finalize the abortion process when another method has failed.