Vaginal misoprostol for cervical priming before dilatation and curettage in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of vaginal misoprostol for cervical priming before dilatation and curettage in postmenopausal women. Methods: Forty-four postmenopausal women with indication for dilatation and curettage were randomly assigned to receive either 400 μg of misoprostol or placebo vaginally 6 h before dilatation and curettage. The main outcome measures were the number of women who required cervical dilatation, cervical width, time taken to dilate to Hegar 6 and other complications. Results: The mean cervical diameter (4.59 millimeters in the misoprostol group vs 4.41 millimeters in the placebo group) was comparable between the two groups. A similar number of women in the misoprostol group and in the placebo group required cervical dilatation (12 vs 16, P = 0.35). The operative times for both groups were similar. The incidence of side-effects was comparable in both groups. There were two uterine perforations in the misoprostol group (2 vs 0). Conclusion: There was no significant benefit from applying 400 μg vaginal misoprostol 6 h prior to dilatation and curettage in postmenopausal women.