The stimulatory effect on uterine contractility of prostaglandin El, E2 and F2a was studied in 29 term pregnant women and 4 midpregnant volunteers admitted for therapeutic abortion. The substances were administered intravenously and uterine contractility recorded by measuring the amniotic pressure. In a careful analysis of the quantitative tracings it was found that suitable doses of the prostaglandins induce efficient uterine contractions. However, these contractions are characterized by a comparatively low intensity in relation to frequency and also occurrence of incoordinated contraction complexes. The results do not support the opinion that the prostaglandins are superior to oxytocin for induction of labour at term pregnancy.* Visiting senior medical student,
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.