Abstract
Vacuum aspiration is the most common method of termination of pregnancy in the first trimester. Mechanical dilatation of the cervix can lead to cervical laceration and uterine perforation. There is also concern about the effect of cervical injury on subsequent reproductive performance1, 2. Therefore various types of natural prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogues have been used to dilate the cervix before vacuum aspiration in order to reduce the incidence of trauma to the cervix. Although most of the studies reported were not properly controlled, the data from the few controlled trials did show that some natural prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogues were effective in pre-evacuation cervical dilatation 3–6. It is interesting that a significant proportion of primigravid patients (11%) treated with placebo pessaries had a cervical dilatation of 8 mm or more6. This may be due to the release of endogenous prostaglandins during vaginal insertion7 or it may just be the result of cervical changes during pregnancy. So far the possible effects of placebo vaginal pessaries have not been studied.
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© 1983 MTP Press Limited
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Ho, P.C., Liang, S.T., Tang, G.W.K., Ma, H.K. (1983). Pre-evacuation cervical dilatation in termination of pregnancy. In: Karim, S.M.M. (eds) Cervagem. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7298-1_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7298-1_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-011-7300-1
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-7298-1
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