The results of the present study show that mifepristone is a simple and effective treatment for inducing labor in post-term women with an unripe cervix.

No abstract

The results of the present study show that mifepristone is a simple and effective treatment for inducing labor in post-term women with an unripe cervix.

Plasma levels of 20\g=a\-dihydroprogesterone,17-hydroxyprogesterone and 17-hydroxypregnenolone were assayed daily in 15 normally menstruating women during a complete menstrual cycle. In order to ascertain the normalcy of the cycles studied, LH, progesterone and oestradiol were also determined daily.The pattern of 20\g=a\-dihydroprogesteronewas very similar to that of progesterone. The levels found during the proliferative phase (around 240 pg/ml) increased significantly on the day of the LH-surge and reached values of approximately 3.7 ng/ml at the peak period of luteal activity. The plasma levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the proliferative phase were around 380 pg/ml. The first significant increase occurred one day before the LH-surge and was followed by a sharp peak (approximately 1.5 ng/ml) which coincided with the LH peak. A significant decrease occurred after this first peak, which reached a nadir two days after the i)