Extra-amniotic prostaglandin-E2 for termination in the second and early third trimesters.

Termination of pregnancy in the second and early third trimesters has always been a common challenge in obstetrical practice. In the United States dilation and evacuation in the second w x trimester is preferred 1 , while in the United w x Kingdom prostaglandin analogues are favored 2 . Between November 1995 and June 1998, 43 consecutive pregnant women underwent termination of pathological pregnancy in second and early third trimesters according to a protocol using Ž . extra-amniotic prostaglandin-E EAPGE in the 2 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The protocol was approved by the institution review board. Consent was obtained from all women. Ultrasonography was used routinely to confirm the gestational age. On the day of termination, a 16-French Foley’s catheter with a 30-ml balloon was positioned in the internal cervical os