Vaginal Administered Misoprostol Versus Laminaria Insertion for Cervical Dilation in First Trimester Pregnancy Interruption

Rhee, I S; Lee, J J; Choi, S D; Lee, H H; Nam, K H; Lee, K H

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To make a comparison of the effect of cervical dilatation for therapeutic abortion between vaginal administration of misoprostol and laminaria insertion into the cervix.
METHODS
Forty-five women received 100 microgram of misoprostol as powder in the posterior vaginal fornix and laminaria were inserted into the cervix in forty-one women before curettage in first trimester pregnancy. We compared the effect of cervical dilatation and side effects.
RESULTS
The effect of cervical dilatation was not statistically different between the groups (8.2+/-2.5 versus 8.7+/-1.6 mm). The occurence of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea were none in both groups. Low abdominal pain was less frequent in the women receiving vaginal misoprostol than in those laminaria insertion (6.7% versus 22.0%). Vaginal bleeding was more frequent in the women receiving misoprostol than in those laminaria insertion (35.6% versus 22.0%). But the amount of vaginal bleeding was only minimal, it was not clinically significant.
CONCLUSION
Vaginal administered misoprostol is as effective as laminaria insertion for cervical dilatation and curettage in the first trimester pregnancy.