Major complications associated with extra-amniotic prostaglandin F2 alpha termination of the mid-trimester pregnancy.

Extra-amniotic prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) termination of mid-trimester pregnancy can be associated with serious complications, defined for the purposes of this study as unintended major surgery or death as a result of the termination. A retrospective study of 319 such mid-trimester terminations at Johannesburg hospital revealed that 3 patients required hysterectomy, 1 developed a large tear of the posterior cervix and 1 died suddenly during the procedure. We are therefore considering changing our methods for second-trimester terminations.